On INESAP's Tenth Anniversary
David Krieger 
Time goes by quickly and already the In ternational Network of Engineers and Sci entists Against Proliferation (INESAP) has reached its tenth anniversary year. Mark ing the end of a decade of activity provides a good opportunity for reflection on the societal role of INESAP as an organiza tion. I believe that everyone associated with INESAP – its founders, its members, and the broader INESAP community – should be very proud of all that INESAP has accomplished. With relatively small fi nancial resources, INESAP has been pro lific in generating thought-provoking meetings and publications on critical sci entific and technical issues related to peace and nuclear disarmament. It has been a strong proponent of sanity in its work on nuclear disarmament and a strong critic of schemes to create missile 'defenses' and place weapons in outer space.
What INESAP has lacked in finan cial resources, it has more than made up for in the commitment of a dedicated group of professionals. INESAP has chal lenged the reliance of states on increasing ly powerful weapons technologies capable of destroying civilization and much of life. It has also challenged doctrines and strate gies that make these weapons more usable and more likely to be used.
As we reflect on the work of INESAP over this past decade, we must acknowl edge with gratitude seminal thinkers such as Albert Einstein, the extraordinary sci entist and great humanitarian, who said: "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our human ity." Just prior to his death in 1955, Ein stein joined with Bertrand Russell in issu ing the Russell-Einstein Manifesto, which concluded with reference to a pub lic resolution:
"We invite this Congress, and through it the scientists of the world and the general public, to subscribe to the fol lowing resolution: 'In view of the fact that in any future world war nuclear weapons will certainly be employed, and that such weapons threaten the continued existence of mankind, we urge the governments of the world to realize, and to acknowledge publicly, that their purpose cannot be fur thered by a world war, and we urge them, consequently, to find peaceful means for the settlement of all matters of dispute be tween them.'"
The Russell-Einstein Manifesto called upon scientists to engage in the public debate on the dangers facing hu manity as a result of scientific and techno logical developments. INESAP is among the small number of scientifically based organizations that has accepted the chal lenge put forward by the Russell-Einstein Manifesto. In doing so, it carries forward an important tradition of reasoned protest by scientists, a tradition that may prove essential in assuring humanity's future.
One problem that remains vexing is how INESAP and other groups like it can raise their profiles so that their important messages have a more prominent place in the public marketplace of ideas. The views of scientists such as Edward Teller, who promoted war and ever-more-lethal weaponry as well as technologically-based schemes for both offense and so-called 'defense,' seem to receive far more atten tion by the media and by political leaders. Such scientists provide new ideas and re inforce old ones for the military-industri al-academic complex that profits enor mously from pursuing such schemes. I don't know the answer to this problem. It seems to reflect cultural shortsightedness, an uncritical public response to techno logical dangers, and a lack of appreciation for the integrity of those professionals who challenge the prevailing social hierar chy by calling attention to these dangers.
The continued work of INESAP members in studying the security prob lems confronting humanity and commu nicating their findings and proposals, de spite their limited ability to reach the public and political leaders, is testimony to their depth of commitment. Many IN ESAP members participate in such work at the expense of personal advancement and the many rewards that fall to those who serve the weapons industry and sup port the strategic delusions of powerful governments.
Einstein was a scientist who be lieved in the power of intuition, and placed intuition above rationality. "The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the ra tional mind is a faithful servant," he said. "We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift." As Einstein wisely expresses, rationality should not supercede intuition, which I take to mean our unspoken connections with world of nature including other hu man beings.
The nuclear deterrence theory, which largely served as the justification for the nuclear arms race throughout the Cold War, was based on a belief in rationality, the belief that leaders would have suffi cient information and emotional stability to behave rationally under the pressure of a threatened nuclear attack or other major crisis. To base the future of one's country and perhaps the human species on such a theory is itself irrational, reflecting the ut ter insanity of such nuclear doctrines as Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD).
The members of INESAP have of ten made personal sacrifices financially and in their careers in order to follow the path of conscience and compassion rather than the clearly dangerous tech nological trajectory that is the result of decades of commitment to deterrence, militarization, and the development of increasingly powerful weapons tech nologies. They are asking questions about the wisdom of continuing to rely upon nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction for 'defense.' They are questioning the wisdom of building sys tems of missile 'defense' that are likely to spark new offensive nuclear arms races. They are challenging the wisdom of weaponizing outer space. Members of INESAP are offering alternatives to the incendiary mix of global inequities, in justices, extremism, and extremely pow erful destructive technologies.
Such questioning is in the best sci entific tradition. But it is questioning based less on curiosity than on a deep concern with humanity's future. The questions are challenges to a status quo that does not serve our common future. The questions remind us that neither ra tionality nor power can assure a human future. What is most needed at this mo ment in time is the wisdom to navigate the treacherous shoals of power that form the basis of our international system. We need to find better ways of resolving our conflicts than warfare and better ways of securing our societies than threatening to destroy whole populations and to leave civilization in rubble.
The work of INESAP is noble work and I commend all who engage in it. It gives me hope for humanity's future to know that there are scientists and engi neers who care enough to challenge the prevailing concepts of security and offer alternative proposals. These alternatives could save humanity from the arrogance, complacency and even malevolence of leaders armed with technologies of ulti mate destruction. The work of INESAP is incredibly important and INESAP has made significant contributions to the global dialogue on peace and disarma ment in its first ten years.
To pursue the work of peace and disarmament is largely an act of faith. There is no rational reason to believe that we will succeed in our efforts, but I be lieve that all who do this work are con vinced of its necessity. Whether or not we succeed, we have no real option but to keep trying, for ourselves and for humani ty. I hope that the members of INESAP will maintain perspective on the impor tance of its work and not be dissuaded by the significant obstacles to creating a more peaceful and secure world.
As citizens of the world who are liv ing at this critical point in time, we have responsibilities to pass the world on in tact to the next generation. The members of INESAP are among those who have ac cepted these responsibilities and are act ing upon them. Your acts are badges of honor. The only advice I would offer you in this tenth anniversary year is to keep your spirits strong and never give up the struggle to secure a safer and saner future for all humanity.
 |  |
| |
