PSR focuses on issues which present the greatest threats to human
health and survival in the modern age, and which can be addressed with
special salience by the unique voice, expertise and traditions of
medicine, physicians and other health professionals. Where such issues
are supported as effectively by non-physician groups, PSR adds its
support and works in cooperative efforts.
Nuclear
Weapons
PSR supports the total abolition of nuclear weapons, the
ultimate weapons of mass destruction, by a verifiable, enforceable
Nuclear Weapons Convention, which outlaws development, possession,
threat, or use by international law. To reduce the current dangers and
move toward this goal, PSR supports a series of intermediary steps--
• Drastic
reductions in the nuclear warheads possessed by nuclear weapon states
• De-alerting of
nuclear missiles of the US and Russia
• Ban on all
nuclear test explosions by US ratification and entry-into-force of the
Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty
• Ban on fissile
material production
• Expansion of
nuclear free zones
• Declaration of
nuclear weapons no-first-use policy by the US and other nuclear weapons
states
• Declaration of
goal of nuclear weapons abolition by the US and other nuclear weapons
states
• Strengthening
of NPT
• Maintenance of
the ABM Treaty which prohibits the development and deployment of
national BMD
Weapons
of Mass Destruction
PSR supports the outlawing of all other weapons of mass
destruction, including biological and chemical weapons, as being cruel,
indiscriminate, uncontrollable, threat to non-combatants, neutral
countries and the environment, through universal implementation and
strengthening of the Chemical Weapons Convention and Biological Weapons
Convention. While not usually termed as weapon of mass destruction,
land mines share many of the criteria of WMD, and for this reason are
strongly opposed by PSR.
War and
Human Needs
Modern warfare has increasingly failed as an agent of human
security, and in fact, preparation for and conduct of war has become
the greatest cause of wasted resources, poverty, human suffering and
environmental damage in the latter half of the 20th century. Modern
security depends upon common security -- wherein security of each
nation does not diminish that of others, and there is just distribution
of resources and income. Therefore, PSR supports the prevention of war
by diplomacy, conciliation, negotiation and the increased direction of
world resources to meet universal human needs.
Military
Spending and Human Needs
Military spending in the world costs $780 billion annually,
US military spending represents 50% of that, being equally to that f
all the other nations combined, greater than the average spending
annually during the cold war. Nuclear costs. BMD costs. Current budget.
PSR Pittsburgh supports a drastic reduction of the US military budget,
by focusing on defense, elimination of nuclear weapons and termination
of BMD, and use of savings resources to meet human needs -- end
poverty, repair infrastructure support education and provide health
care for all.
All of the above issues are encompassed by the Platform for SMART Security,
initiated by national PSR following the 9/11 terrorist attack,
and actively promoted by PSR-Pittsburgh. SMART stands for
Sensible, Multilateral, American, Response to Terrorism.
Nuclear Waste and Contamination
Vast amounts of highly radioactive waste and large areas of
radionuclide contaminated land have been produced by the 50 years of
nuclear weapons development and production and commercial nuclear power
operations. PSR supports vigorous efforts and adequate resources
devoted to cleanup, disposal of waste.
Nuclear
power
PSR has not adopted a position on commercial nuclear power,
deliberately choosing to focus its advocacy and maximize its support
for nuclear weapons abolition, which it views as the most urgent threat
to human survival. Nevertheless it has recognized and expressed concern
that nuclear power reactors are the primary source of plutonium for
nuclear weapons, are a prime target for terrorism, and are the major
generator of nuclear waste, a major and unsolved environmental threat.
Environment
PSR nationally is committed to work to reduce current threats
to the environment -- specifically to reduction of greenhouse gas
emissions contributing to global warming, to elimination of use of
persistent toxic chemicals, and to requirements for full disclosure of
use, release and health effects of toxic chemicals in any community. To
extend its work on enduring nuclear weapons dangers, PSR-Pittsburgh has
focused its own direct efforts on the environmental and health damage
of nuclear contamination and waste, while joining in coalitions with
environmental groups to meet broader environmental challenges.
Gun
Violence
PSR nationally addresses gun violence as an issue of public
health and safety and works to reduce the dangers. PSR-Pittsburgh has
not addressed this issue locally, while in agreement with the national
goal in this domain, believing that gun control organizations have
primary experience and competence in this area.