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July 1998 United States Special Weapons
Nuclear, Biological, Chemical and Missile
Proliferation News

• STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT July 31, 1998 -- I am very pleased that the Senate today voted unanimously to confirm Ambassador Bill Richardson as Secretary of Energy.
• STATEMENT OF AMBASSADOR BILL RICHARDSON ON HIS CONFIRMATION BY THE U.S. SENATE -- July 31, 1998 -- I am very grateful that the Senate has moved forward expeditiously and unanimously to confirm my nomination.
• Squaring Nuclear Accounts By Stephen S. Rosenfeld The Washington Post, July 31, 1998 -- Was it a demonstrably prudent and necessary expenditure, respectful of the canons of cost efficiency, separation of powers and political and fiscal accountability? You know the answer: No, it was none of these things. The urgency, secrecy and near-sacredness in which the atomic project was cloaked from its inception cut directly across these latter-day considerations of responsible democratic governance.
• Assistant vice chief of staff talks about AEF space capabilities, resources by Tech. Sgt. Ginger Schreitmueller (AFNS) 31 July 1998 -- There is no seam, no barrier between air and space, according to the Air Force assistant vice chief of staff. "We really are an aerospace force," said Lt. Gen. David Vesely. "Whatever differences there are between air and space are not important to the theater commander or the warfighter.
• General sees U.S. soon vulnerable to ICBM attack (Space Today -- 30 Jul 1998) - The United States is vulnerable to an intercontinental missile attack "sooner rather than later" and must develop space-based defense and weapons systems to counter the threat, the head of the U.S. space command said today.
• Missile defense - Republicans resort to political ploys - Council for a Livable World -Thursday, July 30, 1998 ...The Republican Party is resorting to a series of political ploys in a vain effort to make ballistic missile defense a key political issue in the 1998 election campaign.
• Bauer Calls for Missile Defense Deployment Thursday, July 30 -- "The first responsibility of elected officials is to defend American lives," Family Research Council President Gary Bauer said Thursday as he called on Congress to push for the development and deployment of a ballistic missile defense system to protect American families.
• STATEMENT BY THE PRESS SECRETARY THE WHITE HOUSE July 30, 1998 -- Samuel Berger, the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs today announced the completion of a realignment of NSC offices. Two new offices have been established: Multilateral and Humanitarian Affairs, and Transnational Threats.
• TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES July 28, 1998 I have exercised my statutory authority to issue an Executive order to amend Executive Order 12938 in order to more effectively to respond to the worldwide threat of weapons of mass destruction proliferation activities. This amendment adds potential penalties for contributions to foreign programs for nuclear weapons and missiles capable of delivering weapons of mass destruction. The amendment lowers the requirements for imposing penalties.
• Expanding the President's Executive Order on Weapons of Mass Destruction STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT July 28, 1998
• PROLIFERATION OF WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION EXECUTIVE ORDER July 28, 1998
• EDITORIAL The Star Wars distraction Federal Computer Week JULY 27, 1998 Congress' recent effort to resurrect the Star Wars missile defense system unfortunately will only divert much-needed funds and attention away from more real threats to the United States: terrorists.
• SMDC will have new commander soon Army SMDC PAO - 27 July 1998 - On July 21, the Defense Secretary announced that the President has nominated Maj. Gen. John Costello for appointment to the grade of lieutenant general and assignment as the commanding general of U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command.
• RUSSIAN WEAPONS PROLIFERATION "OFF THE TABLE" FOR GORE’S TRIP, JULY 21, 1998 - Vice President Al Gore leaves today on a three-day trip to the former Soviet Union, but Russia’s proliferation of weapons of mass destruction isn’t on the agenda - a situation the Chairman of the Republican National Committee likens to "a game of Russian Roulette." Nicholson used the occasion to reiterate his support for development of an "effective and workable missile defense system to protect the American people in the event of a ballistic attack."
• RNC POLL RESULTS: OVER 75% OF VOTERS FAVOR MISSILE DEFENSE, JULY 16, 1998 - Republican National Committee Chairman Jim Nicholson today announced that a new poll has found overwhelming support for the Republican goal of building a national missile defense system.
• Keynote Address UPDATE '98 Under Secretary William A. Reinsch Bureau of Export Administration U.S. Department of Commerce July 7, 1998 " I must tell you we are now faced with the most anti-international Congress in decades. Simply put, they don't understand globalization; they don't like it; and they want to stop it. Last year saw Congress' misguided attack on the computer industry. Now we are in the middle of a similar attack on commercial communications satellite exports. What's next? My guess is telecommunications and aircraft. Piece by piece the Congress is threatening to dismantle the progress this Administration has made in giving our high tech industries the opportunity to capture world leadership."
• [EXCERPTS] U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing 01 July 1998 -- Brookings Institute report on the cost of nuclear weapons
• Strategic Command welcomes new commander in chief Released: Jul 1, 1998 (AFNS) -- The U.S. Strategic Command welcomed a new commander-in-chief on June 1, 1992. Adm. Richard W. Mies, former commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, and commander, Submarine Allied Command, Atlantic, accepted the reins of command from Air Force Gen. Eugene E. Habiger, who had served as USSTRATCOM commander in chief since Feb. 21, 1996.

FAS | News | USA | 1998 |||| Index | Search |