STAR WARS TEST – A FAILURE FOR WORLD PEACE

14 July 2001

Vandenberg Air Force Base: The Bush Administration is claiming the Star Wars missile test was a success – it is a total failure. It is a failure for world peace because it brings us one step closer to a new nuclear arms race. It was a total failure because it is now clear that George Bush is hell bent on full implementation of the Star Wars programme regardless of global opposition.

At the Pentagon briefing this evening Lt Gen Ronald Kadish claimed the delay to the test was due to “normal test delays”. The “normal test delay” was Greenpeace. We delayed the test last year, and we forced another delay this year when Greenpeace activists breached security, taking boats and divers into the exclusion zone. We will continue to take action against these tests and George Bush until we stop Star Wars.

The missile launch was described in the briefing as “ …just one step on a journey.” That journey is a journey down the road of nuclear proliferation and the destruction of international nuclear non proliferation and disarmament regime.

Greenpeace put four swimmers ashore on the base, then took four inflatables into the exclusion zone while putting two divers underwater. Despite warnings to the base commander that he would be putting their lives at risk, he continued with the launch.

Four of the swimmers were arrested and the inflatables have now left the area. Those arrested were Brent Hanssen from the U.S., John Wills from the UK, Jon Aguilar from U.S and Kelly Osborne also U.S citizen.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Sara Holden, Greenpeace International media officer at Vandenberg - +1 805 291 1749
William Peden, Greenpeace International disarmament campaigner at Vandenberg: +1 202 285 9130
Greenpeace media centre, Lompoc California +1 805 740 1430