SAN DIEGO, Oct. 25 (UPI) -- More than 470 physicists have signed a petition opposing a U.S. proposal allowing the use of nuclear weapons against non-nuclear states.
The petition was started by Kim Griest and Jorge Hirsch, physics professors at the University of California-San Diego. They said they felt an obligation to speak out because their profession brought nuclear weapons into the world 60 years ago.
Prominent physicists, including seven Nobel laureates, believe the policy blurs the line between nuclear weapons and conventional, chemical and biological weapons.
The petition is to be delivered to members of Congress, as well as scientific professional societies.
"Humanity has gone more than half a century without using nuclear weapons, in large part because of the success of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty," said Griest. "The U.S. use of nuclear weapons against non-nuclear states will destroy the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and give strong incentive for other countries to develop and use nuclear weapons, thus making nuclear war more likely."
They hope to gain additional supporters before a Nov. 18 meeting of the executive board of the American Physical Society and a Nov. 24 meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
