KEEP SPACE FOR
PEACE
Demilitarize and prevent the weaponization of outer space!
Militarization of Outer Space: Militaries all over the world rely on satellites for command and control communication, monitoring, early warning, and navigation with the Global Positioning System.
Satellites are used to direct bombing raids or to orchestrate a “prompt global strike” capability, which is “the ability to control any situation or defeat any adversary across the range of military operations.”
Weaponization of Outer Space: While there are currently no weapons deployed in orbit, the United States is developing space weapon technologies, which can include ground-based systems designed or
used to attack space-based assets, such as satellites, and weapons that travel through space in order to reach their targets. This includes elements of the US ballistic “missile defense” system.
We are fasting, demonstrating, and campaigning to prevent the weaponization and reduce the
militarization of outer space. The whole world must bring pressure to bear on the United States
to join with other nations to negotiate a treaty to keep space for peace.
No one country must ever be permitted to dominate and control the planet from on high.
Prevent an arms race in outer space!
The overwhelming majority of United Nations member states are concerned that the weaponization of outer space will lead to an arms race. They insist that a multilateral treaty is the only way to prevent such an arms race. Each year in the General Assembly, member states adopt a resolution on preventingan arms race in outer space (PAROS) by an overwhelming majority. In fact, every country in the world votes in favor of negotiating a treaty on PAROS—except for the US, which has voted “NO” for the past three years, and Israel, which has abstained. A PAROS treaty would complement the 1967 Outer Space Treaty for peaceful uses of outer space if it prevented space weaponization and programs such as so-called “missile defense,” satellite guided weapons launched from earth, and spy satellites collecting and using data for aggressive military purposes.
In the Conference on Disarmament (CD), the official body where UN disarmament treaties are negotiated, the United States has prevented any progress on PAROS negotiations. In 2008, Russia and
China, which have always been strong promoters of PAROS vote in the UN General Assembly, submitted a draft treaty to the CD on banning the weaponization of space. The US dismissed the proposal out-of hand, characterizing the offer to make peace in space as “a diplomatic ploy by the two
nations to gain a military advantage.”
We disagree. The purpose of negotiations is to prevent any nation from gaining a militaryadvantage. It is critical that the US support PAROS and take up this urgent offer to start negotiations to keep space for peace. We must never permit the tragic expansion of the terror of war into a new frontier in space.
This fact sheet was produced by the Reaching Critical Will project of the Women's International League
for Peace and Freedom. For more information go to www.reachingcriticalwill.org.
