Notes from CND conference 10/11/2018 session :shape of things to come

Ted Seay, Stuart Parkinson, Steven Rose

TS: New military technology re shape global security situation. Use of algorithmic warfare (computer automated war) and ‘Drone swarms’ such as the attack on Russian base in Syria. 13 drones with bombs carried out the attack. There are hyper velocity technology used in weapons making it impossible to intercept an attack. Use of Artificial Intelligence in creating autonomous weapons. These are all worrying developments making the security of  our world even more uncertain. Therefore the claims that nuclear weapons offer stability through ‘deterrence’ is even more weak if not obsolete. TS: “US presidents come and go, but US military policies are hardly affected. The real culprits are the US Dep of Defence (the military), department of energy (the urge to dominate energy sources) and government agencies working hand in glove with large weapons manufacturing corporations. Plus the corporations themselves”

A regional nuclear conflict using a nuclear warhead of the same capacity as Hiroshima bomb will result in a nuclear winter and the death of 2 billion people.

SP: Talked about the militarisation of science and technology and corporate driven research and developments are a real danger to humanity. UK’s military spending is 1 out of 6 of its public spending.  while we are better than the US (56%) other western countries such as Germany spend far less than UK.  This is estimated to be £186 billion over the next 10 years. Key players are:

MoD, Arms Corporations, overseas funders such as the US and EU and universities.

The bulk of the money goes to developing new weapons (including nuclear) and maintenance of existing systems such as Trident.  £1.7billion are spent on military research and development this is 30 times more than our spending on renewable energy for example.  SP sees this as a form of government subsidy for the arms industry. The government sponsors research involving 29 universities, hands them over to the military corporations to produce the weapons and make millions in profit. The EU the winner of the Nobel peace prize, planning on spending €200 billion on ‘defence’. Military scientists in the UK wish to retain access to EU military research and development post Brexit. The UK subscribes to the US’s armed drones program (Predator). The UK/US cooperate on military intelligence /surveillance systems.

Steven Rose:

We are living in worrying times, International anti chemical and biological weapons treaties are being circumvented/bypassed. Use of bio chemical agents in asymmetric conflicts such as the war on Syria. The regime is reportedly used  chlorine. The deployment and use of Novichok by Russia. (US has the agent in stock as well).

In 2013 Obama launched $4.5 billion program called BRAIN. Initially though to work towards the advancement of understanding various human brain ailments, when in reality some of the funding was used to develop genetically engineered toxins/agents to manipulate the brain, to be used in military operations and also to be used to be used as new methods of torture. The development of agents that pacify or disorientate the subject, hallucinogenic /hypnotic agents/ Cognitive/thought process manipulators as well as memory erasers.

The US military has used during the gulf wars drugs on its soldiers such as sleep prevent-ers and   attention enhancers (Retalin used for ADHD school children).

  Also the use of Low Frequency microwave beams to disorientate  people from a distance.

Tahrir Swift