Actions at Indian Island
18 people gathered at the Naval Magazine Indian Island Gate on the
afternoon of Saturday April 21 to protest the USS Ohio Trident nuclear
submarine and the war in Iraq. They carried signs saying “No Iraq War”,
The Longer We Stay, the Worse it Gets” and “Purge the Urge to Surge”,
among others. Doug Milholland gave a short speech quoting Abraham
Lincoln, President Eisenhower and Martin Luther King, speaking about
the danger that militarism poses to our society. Then protestors walked
towards the gate. Milholland drew a large dollar sign with Marinara
sauce, symbolizing the blood that has been spilled in American military
adventures around the world. Liz Rivera Goldstein, of Port Townsend and
Bethel Prescott, of Irondale stood in front of the gate, while the
others watched. Both were arrested and charged with Disorderly Conduct
by Jefferson County Sheriffs. Prescott was released later in the
afternoon on $250 bail but Rivera Goldstein refused bail and will be
held until a hearing Monday morning at the Jefferson County Courthouse,
when she will ask the judge to be released on her own recognizance. She
said that bail is inappropriate in this case because she is no danger
to the community, and will show up in court because she wants to have
the opportunity to explain the reasons for her actions. The USS Ohio
arrived at Indian Island Thursday afternoon for an expected stay of two
or three days. It is one of four Trident submarines that have been
retired from their original job carrying ballistic nuclear missile and
in order to carry cruise missiles capable of carrying either nuclear or
non-nuclear warheads. It will be based at Bangor and will load
non-nuclear cruise missiles at Indian Island when it returns to base
approximately once a year. This is another expansion of the Indian
Island base, which is now the largest munitions depot on the West
Coast, shipping munitions to Iraq and to the Pacific fleet. The Ohio
will be joined by a second retrofitted Trident submarine and other
cruise missile submarines using Indian Island. It is a beautiful view
from the Indian Island Gate. A small park across the road sweeps down
to the water’s edge. A tree is covered with spring blossoms. It is easy
to forget in our rural paradise among the trees the immense suffering
caused by US policies and fueled in part by the munitions shipping out
from here and by weapons such as the USS Ohio.
The trial of Liz Rivera Goldstein and Bethel Prescott is expected to be
in the Spring of 2008 in Jefferson County District Court. Judge
Jill Landes has ruled that they may present the necessity defense based
on the need to take action to prevent violations of international law.
She will then rule on whether the jury should consider that argument.
Fact Sheet on USS Ohio
(from Dan Goldstein's Articles: http://dangoldstein.blogspot.com/2007/04/fact-sheet-on-uss-ohio.html)
The USS Ohio was originally commissioned in 1981, as the first of
the
Ohio class nuclear submarines, carrying the Trident nuclear missile
system. Both the missiles and the submarines are commonly known as
Tridents.
When the Ohio was deployed in 1982 to the then new Trident
base in Bangor, Washington, on the Hood Canal, it was greeted by
protests. Among other actions, a flotilla of boats met the Ohio at Port
Townsend as it entered Admiralty Inlet on its way in to Bangor. The
Bangor base has been the subject of anti-nuclear protests for 30 years,
from the construction of the base to the present. For the past several
years demonstrators have nonviolently attempted to block the main gate
three times each year: on the anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima
and Nagasaki, Martin Luther King’s birthday and on Mother’s Day. The
Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action (www.gzcenter.org) has more
information.
The Ohio and three other Trident submarines were scheduled
to be retired in 2002. However, they were converted from the SSBN
(Submersible Ship Ballistic missile Nuclear powered) configuration into
SSGN (Submersible Ship Guided missile Nuclear powered). The Ohio has
been on active duty as a SSGN since 2006. As a nuclear powered
submarine it is capable of continuous operations for unlimited periods.
The Trident SSGNs, including the Ohio are capable of carrying 154
Tomahawk cruise missiles (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cruise_missile).
The Tomahawks have a range of 1500 miles and are capable of carrying
either nuclear or conventional warheads, although the Navy says that
they are not currently deploying the nuclear warheads. The submarines
are also able to launch a mini-sub and Navy SEALS commando squads
through a modified launch tube. These capabilities make the Trident
SSGN submarines ideal vehicles for launching a surprise attack or
secret commando raids. They can lie hidden just offshore of whatever
country they choose to target and launch their attacks without warning.
If the Administration wanted to launch a surprise nuclear attack, they
might well choose to use a submarine launched cruise missile that could
fly under the radar from an undetected source and hit their target
without warning. Such an attack would be extremely dangerous because it
could provoke a response either against the US or against another
country mistakenly suspected of launching the attack. Futhermore, since
it is impossible to tell if a cruise missile is armed with a nuclear or
conventional warhead while it is in flight there are endless
possibilities for a conventional missile to be mistaken for a nuclear
one.
Submarines are used for this kind of mission, because, unlike other
kinds of forces, they are largely invisible. Covert missions are used
to carry out policies without the knowledge or consent of the American
people.
(http://dangoldstein.blogspot.com/2006_02_01_archive.html)
From
Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohio_submarine):
The Ohio class submarines were specifically designed for extended
deterrence patrols. Each submarine is complemented by two crews, Blue
and Gold, with each crew operating on a 100-day interval. To decrease
the time in port for crew turnover and replenishment, three large
logistics hatches are fitted to provide large diameter resupply and
repair openings. These hatches allow sailors to rapidly transfer supply
pallets, equipment replacement modules and machinery components,
significantly reducing the time required for replenishment and
maintenance. The class design allows the vessel to operate for 15+
years between overhauls. The ships are purported to be as stealthy at
20 knots (their cruising speed) as previous subs were at a dead crawl
of 6 knots, although exact information remains classified.
The Ohio has
just returned from Hawaii, where they practiced a “forward crew swap”
in which they complete the transfer from one crew to the other without
returning to their home base in Bangor. This is the first forward crew
swap in 20 years. The plan is to make these crew swaps in Guam, so the
Ohio can remain at sea longer, only returning to Bangor about once a
year.
According to the Navy:
(http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=27392)
While the gold crew is in Hawaii for this crew swap, they will be going
through a qualification process, testing the crew’s and the submarines
ability to conduct different types of special operations forces (SOF)
operations. The cruise missiles will be loaded at Naval Magazine Indian
Island, near Port Townsend.
Indian Island is the largest munitions depot on the West Coast,
supplying weapons for Iraq and operations in the Pacific Ocean.
On Saturday, September 23, 2006 Teenpeace joined with 400 people
from across Western Washington to Declare Peace at Indian Island.
It was The Next Big Step to End the Occupation of Iraq
Indian Island Naval Weapons Depot is the main West Coast port used
to ship munitions to Iraq
- Peace and Justice Festival
- Peace March
- Nonviolent Direct Action at Indian Island
- Concert with David Rovics and others
A joyful procession marched 2 1/2 miles to the gates of the Indian
Island Naval Weapons
Depot.
37 people were arrested in a Nonviolent Direct Action in front of the
gates. After months of legal maneuvering, all charges were
dismissed by Judge Jill Landes in Jefferson County District Court.
See the Flyer(PDF)
Hear
a KBCS radio report on the demonstation.
For More Information:
Press Release announcing the demonstration
DECLARATION OF PEACE CAMPAIGN
FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE:
September 13,
2006
Local Group Plans Nonviolent Action on Sept. 23 to Support New Course
on Iraq
National Coalition to Take Action September 21-28 if Congress Won't
Make Comprehensive Iraq Withdrawal Plan
Announcement comes as Bush confirms intention to stay in Iraq
indefinitely
From Washington State to Washington DC, peace activists are renewing
and reinvigorating efforts to end the occupation of Iraq and prevent
future military invasions. On Sept. 23rd, people from across
Washington state will gather at HJ Carroll Park, near Port Townsend, as
part of a national grassroots week of action from September 21-28 to
bear moral witness to the ongoing occupation in Iraq and urge Members
of Congress to approve and implement a plan for peace.
Plans for September 23rd include a peace march to the Indian Island
naval base, the major weapons depot on the west coast, to engage in
creative, nonviolent direct action. There will also be a peace
and justice fair and the day will end with a free performance by Poets
Against the War, Big Whoop, and David Rovics. Veterans for
Peace in Olympia have chartered buses to bring people from Olympia and
Seattle. Organizers have heard people are planning to come from
Seattle, Bremerton, Bainbridge, Port Angeles and other cities across
the state.
The naval base at Indian Island was chosen because of the role it plays
in storing weapons that are shipped to Iraq and around the world from
this remote Washington location. The navy has been expanding
activities at Indian Island, and is planning to bring Ohio class
Trident nuclear submarines to the island. Local citizens have
requested information on safety and environmental issues, and a
majority of both the Jefferson county commissioners and the Port
Townsend city council have asked for a public forum to address
resident’s questions. The navy has refused to participate in
public forums or to address the concerns of citizens. Seattle resident
Glen Milner has sued the United States Navy in U.S. District Court in
Seattle, culminating years of effort to inform the public about safety
risks related to the ammunition depot at Naval Magazine Indian Island
near Port Townsend.
“We can no longer stand by and watch the escalating death and
destruction in Iraq, with no end in sight. We demand that members
of both political parties have the moral courage to end the occupation
of Iraq”, said Liz Rivera Goldstein, of the Indian Island Coalition,
which is planning the Washington State event.
The Indian Island Coalition is one of over 370 organizations nationwide
who are part of the Declaration of Peace campaign, who believe that it
is time for Congress to demand that the Bush Administration provide a
comprehensive, concrete and rapid plan to end the war in Iraq,
including a prompt timetable for withdrawal of troops, a peace process
for security, reconstruction and reconciliation, and the shifting of
war funding to meet education, healthcare and employment needs.
(Declaration of Peace goals listed below)
Reflecting a growing national consensus for a new direction, the
national Declaration of Peace campaign is calling on Congress to
legislate by September 21 a comprehensive plan to end the US occupation
of Iraq. If this policy is not established by this date, people
across the US will participate in one or more creative events
supporting such a plan for peace, including candlelight vigils, peace
concerts, interfaith services, marches, and acts of nonviolent civil
disobedience.
Indian Island Coalition members include the Teen Peace Project, Port
Townsend Depleted Uranium Study Team, Ground Zero Center for
Nonviolence, New Society Trainers for Nonviolence, Sound Nonviolent
Opponents to War, Western Washington Fellowship of Reconciliation,
Green Party of Washington State, Sound Peace and Justice, and Youth
Against War and Racism
Goals of the Declaration of Peace
Establishing and Completing a Comprehensive Plan to End the US War in
Iraq
The Declaration of Peace is a commitment to take nonviolent steps for a
comprehensive, concrete and rapid end to the US war in Iraq, including:
Withdrawal of US troops and all coalition forces
Closure of US military bases
Support for an Iraqi-led peace process, including a peace conference to
shape a post-occupation transition and an international peacekeeping
presence if mandated by this peace process
Return of Iraqi control over its oil resources and the political and
economic life of the nation
Reparations and reconstruction to address the destruction caused by the
US war and thirteen years of sanctions
Establish a “peace dividend” for job creation, health care, education,
housing, and other vital social needs
Increased support for US veterans of the Iraq war, and
No so-called “preventive” war against Iran or any other nation
National Declaration of Peace web site
http://www.declarationofpeace.org
Washington state web site
www.declarationofpeacewa.blogspot.com