[act-ma] March 14-16: Int'l Peace Group to Hold Protest & Conference at Vandenberg Space War Base ~Bruce Gagnon

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*INT?L PEACE GROUP TO HOLD ANNUAL CONFERENCE NEAR VANDENBERG AFB*

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*CALLS FOR AN END TO **MILITARIZATION OF SPACE*

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  For Immediate Release

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*Contact*:Bruce Gagnon(207) 443-9502globalnet at mindspring.com 
<mailto:globalnet at mindspring.com>

Dennis Apel(805) 343-6322jdapel at yahoo.com <mailto:jdapel at yahoo.com>

The Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space 
<http://www.space4peace.org/> (GN) will hold its 22^nd annual space 
organizing conference in Santa Barbara, California, located near 
Vandenberg space warfare base on March 14-16.The GN is made up of 150 
peace and religious groups around the world who are working to oppose 
the development of a new arms race in space.The theme for the 
conference**will be /Vandenberg?s Role in US Global Domination: 
Implications of US ?Pivot? into the Asia-Pacific/.

Vandenberg AFB plays a key role in Pentagon military satellite 
launching, testing nuclear missiles, and most recently as a deployment 
site for so-called ?missile defense? interceptors.Increasingly the US 
military is aiming at the Asia-Pacific region as the Obama announced 
?pivot? of 60% of Pentagon forces moves to encircle China.

The conference weekend will begin with a *protest at Vandenberg AFB* at 
4:00 pm on *Friday, March 14*.A *public forum *will be held on *March 
15* at the Trinity Episcopal Church in Santa Barbara at 7:00 pm.

GN Coordinator Bruce Gagnon stated, ?For years there have been peace 
protests outside Vandenberg AFB with many people arrested for their 
non-violent witness.GN members are coming from all over the world to 
honor and encourage these dedicated local citizens.We will share our 
deep concerns about current US plans to ?control and dominate space? and 
the Pentagon?s pivot into the Asia-Pacific.?

The GN has long maintained, having studied the Space Command?s Vision 
for 2020 <http://www.fas.org/spp/military/docops/usspac/visbook.pdf> 
planning document, that space domination was ?necessary? in order for 
full corporate control of everything.With resources declining around the 
planet corporations are using Pentagon space-directed surveillance and 
targeting to ensure their control.The public, facing growing cuts in 
social spending, are paying for these costly military space programs.

Dave Webb, National Chair of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament in the 
UK, said, ?We are coming from England and other countries to support the 
groups who are concerned about the role of Vandenberg in aggressive, 
destabilizing and dangerous military projects such as ?missile defense?. 
Far from being defensive, these systems are part of a strategy involving 
the possible use of nuclear weapons without having to worry about 
retaliation. The US has so much to offer the world ? but the defiling of 
the Pacific Ocean and its peoples through this expanding militarism is 
shameful.?

Each year the Global Network holds its space organizing conference in a 
different part of the world.Last year the group met in the ?high north? 
of Sweden, where the US and NATO are creating a space surveillance and 
testing center.People will come to the March 14-16 Santa Barbara events 
from Norway, Sweden, England, Canada, Japan, India, South Korea, and 
from throughout the US.

Full conference details are available at the GN website 
http://www.space4peace.org/actions/gnconf_2014.htm

- END -

Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space
PO Box 652
Brunswick, ME 04011
(207) 443-9502
globalnet at mindspring.com <mailto:globalnet at mindspring.com>
www.space4peace.org <http://www.space4peace.org>
http://space4peace.blogspot.com/ (blog)

Thank God men cannot fly, and lay waste the sky as well as the earth.  
~Henry David Thoreau