Subject: Nuclear Sub Coming to Olympia Date: Thu, 13 May 2004 22:45:38 -0700 (PDT) From: Alice Zillah To: alicezillah@yahoo.com The USS Olympia, a nuclear "fast attack" submarine that is named after our fair city, is coming to the Olympia port on May 30. For the five days that it is here the Navy will use the visit to promote the sub, encouraging meetings between the captain and crew and city officials. In addition to representing the horror of war, this sub brings a nuclear reactor into our port. An internet search on the risks of nuclear submarines reveals a list of close calls and even quite a few collisions. These weapons of mass destruction shouldn't be made and maintained, and have no business being in our port. What the Sub Is - From the Navy's web site, http://www.csp.navy.mil/css3/717.htm: "USS OLYMPIA (SSN 717) brings to the fleet the virtually unlimited endurance of her nuclear propulsion plant, the most advanced SONAR and Fire Control systems on board submarines today, and an impressive underwater launch system capable of firing torpedoes and missiles. The OLYMPIA is capable of sustained high-speed operations in direct support of the carrier task forces of the United States Navy, as well as independent operations of critical importance to national security... In February of 1986, OLYMPIA set sail for her new homeport in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Since OLYMPIA's arrival in Pearl Harbor she has completed four Western Pacific deployments and numerous other operations. Her travels have taken her to ports throughout the Western Pacific, and four visits to her namesake city in Olympia, Washington..." The USS Olympia is Dangerous Nuclear reactors mean the risk of nuclear disasters. Two of these subs collided off the coast of Long Island in 1998. Others have run aground, off the coasts of Scotland and Italy. How will city officials guarantee our safety while the sub is in the port? What measures is the city planning to take to ensure the security of the sub and its weapons, and how will those measures affect people who live and work downtown? The USS Olympia Represents War The USS Olympia is designed to quickly and covertly launch missiles at other countries. Some of these types of subs carry nuclear warheads, but it is Navy policy not to disclose which subs are carrying the warheads. The Pentagon also won't say how many of these subs are being used now against Iraq, but they were used to launch Tomahawk cruise missiles during the first Gulf War. The US has approximately 72 nuclear subs in operation and is building four more. These weapons, and the ever-present threat of their use, are used to maintain the US's vast military and economic power around the world. Especially now, while we are engaged in a brutal and terrible war that everyday claims the lives of Iraqi civilians and Americans, Olympia should not be celebrating a machine of war. The USS Olympia Demonstrates that our Funding Priorities are Out of Whack The US spends more money to take care of our weapons and weapons systems than we do to take care of our children, elderly, and sick. 29 cents of every tax dollar goes to feed the Pentagon and finance its wars (an additional 9 cents goes to military debt interest). In contrast only 4 cents goes to education, 2 cents goes to housing, and 2 cents goes to caring for our natural resources. More information can be found at www.nationalpriorities.org. According to Peace Action, "For what the US will spend on Missile Defense in one year we could: put over a million children through Head Start OR provide healthcare for over 3.5 million children OR create over 100,000 units of affordable housing OR hire over 160,000 elementary school teachers." Right now in Olympia teachers are being laid off. (See http://www.theolympian.com/home/news/20040511/topstories/47151_ARC.shtml). How can Olympia city officials welcome a nuclear submarine whose maintenance and weaponry directly steals from funds that should be spent on people's needs? Some Things We Can Do Olympians can say "No" to a visit from the USS Olympia. We can tell our friends, neighbors, co-workers, and city officials that we do not want a nuclear reactor in our town port. We don't have very much time to get the City to change their plans to welcome the sub. Please come to the public meetings listed below if you can. Also needed are letters to the editor, calls to local radio stations, and calls and emails to city officials. Next County Commissioners Meeting: Monday, May 17 at 9:00AM. Located at the Thurston County Courthouse, room 280. Call 786-5440 to confirm location. Next Port Commissioners Meeting: Monday, May 17, at 5:00PM. Located in the LOTT Board Room of the Market Centre Building at 111 Market St NE. Next Olympia City Council Meeting: Tuesday, May 18, at 7:00PM. Located in City Hall at 900 Plum Street Email the mayor and the city council: citycouncil@ci.olympia.wa.us ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Do you Yahoo!? SBC Yahoo! - Internet access at a great low price.