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A project of Common Dreams

For Immediate Release
Contact:

Gabe Murphy, Peace Action, 510-501-3345 cell, gmurphy@peaceaction.org
Jon Rainwater, Peace Action, 510-469-3700 cell, jrainwater@peaceaction.org

INF Treaty Latest Victim of Trump's Nuclear Petulance

Ahead of the Trump administration's expected suspension of U.S. obligations under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty and formal announcement of its intention to withdraw from the treaty, Jon Rainwater, Executive Director of Peace Action, released the following statement:

WASHINGTON

Ahead of the Trump administration's expected suspension of U.S. obligations under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty and formal announcement of its intention to withdraw from the treaty, Jon Rainwater, Executive Director of Peace Action, released the following statement:

"The INF Treaty put the kibosh on a class of particularly dangerous and destabilizing nuclear weapons, taking whole cities out of the nuclear cross hairs. Millions of people around the world marched and fought to pass the treaty. The U.S. and Russia have both accused the other of violating the treaty, but rather than working to address concerns and preserve the agreement through patient diplomacy, the Trump administration is just walking away.

"Unfortunately, this is only the latest turn in a procession of erratic and short-sighted nuclear policy shifts that make our nation and the world less safe. Withdrawing from the successful Iran nuclear agreement, accelerating nuclear weapons spending and the production of new nuclear weapons, and listing new scenarios in which the U.S. might use nuclear weapons are just a few of the steps this White House has taken towards the nuclear brink. If Trump's goal were to increase the risk of nuclear war, he'd be checking all the right boxes."

Peace Action is the United States' largest peace and disarmament organization with over 100,000 members and nearly 100 chapters in 34 states, works to achieve the abolition of nuclear weapons, promote government spending priorities that support human needs and encourage real security through international cooperation and human rights.