Doomsday Clock Moved to 5 Minutes to Midnight

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (BAS) announced today that the hands of the Doomsday Clock were moved forward one minute to now read at 5 minutes to Midnight.

In a formal announcement Tuesday noted "It is five minutes to midnight. Two years ago it appeared that world leaders might address the truly global threats that we face. In many cases that trend has not continued or been reversed. For that reason the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists is moving the clock hand one closer to midnight back to its time in 2007."

The change was made due to the clear and present danger of nuclear proliferation and climate changes.

 With Iran coming closer to producing nuclear weapons, North Korea becoming even more of an unknown, China building its military stronger, and Russia beginning to flex their muscle again; one
has to wonder when, not if, it will happen.

The United States and Russia did sign an agreement to reduce the stockpiles of nuclear weapons,
but there are rumblings that Russia might back out of the deal. With the distinct and inevitable possibility of the return of Putin as president of Russia, it seems quite likely that there will be a "reset" to the "reset", and not for the better.

Plus there are still many who say that climate change is not a cause for concern and that the world is merely progressing through natural cyclic changes. Of course anyone with even a small understanding of the true and relentless and ever spreading changes around us daily must know the truth. Something has to be done to reverse the warming on the planet.

The ticking of the clock becomes louder and all of the world leaders should take notice.

Jerald Terwilliger
National Chairman
American Cold War Veterans
"We Remember"

---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996

U.S. Ends Mission To Iraq

In a small ceremony today the U.S. mission to Iraq finally came to an end. It was a war that cost
almost 4.5000 American lives and billions of dollars.

The Commander of U.S. forces in Iraq furled his flag during the short ceremony, which signified
the end of his command. The ceremony was attended by Secretary of Defense Leon E. Pannetta,
Army General Martin Dempsey-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Ambassador
James Jeffery.


The last 4,000 troops will depart by this weekend, fulfilling a promise by President Obama to
withdraw all American soldiers by years end.


The U.S. diplomatic mission will still contain about 200 U.S. military personnel to oversee
arms sales and other military exchanges for a while longer.

We wish the nation of Iraq all the best in the coming years. It will not be an easy task, and they
will face huge tasks and challenges. There will be terrorists and others who will seek to destroy
the new government. There is also the likelihood of renewed ethnic and sectarian struggles and
more violence. Plus the fact that Iran is sure to assert more influence in the region is sure to create
more problems for Iraq.

Jerald Terwilliger
National Chairman
American Cold War Veterans
"We Remember" 

---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996

Iran will boost missile arsenal

Iran has stated they plan to continue to build its missile force.

Parliament speaker Ali Larijani said Tuesday that Iran does not hide its weapons systems to defend
itself against "possible aggressions" from Israel and the West. These remarks confirm views of
Western analysts that Iran has developed missiles capable of hitting Israel and possibly portions of
Europe.

At the same time Iran's Defense Ministry announced that it's Navy is now armed with new
coastal cruise missile systems.

Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi said the new systems will help safeguard it's
coastal boundaries.

The systems include new launch pads, Target detection and radar to guide the missiles. Iran lately
been testing missiles with increasingly long ranges.

This comes while an eight year struggle among world powers to limit Iran's nuclear capability.
Many consider that Iran is still in an effort to produce nuclear weapons.

Iran still maintains that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.

Jerald Terwilliger
National Chairman
American Cold War Veterans
"We Remember"

---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996

Secretary Gates says No to Israel

Speaking in Melbourne Defense Secretary Robert Gates told reporters that Israel had concerns about
the impact that international sanctions against Iran, and how effective they were.

This was a day after Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu told Vice President Joe Biden that only a credible threat would stop Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.

Gates said "We are prepared to do what is necessary but at this point we continue to believe that the
political-economic approach we are taking is in fact having an impact in Iran."

Gates is in Melbourne for security talks also signed a space defense surveillance agreement with Australia and promised the U.S. would work with Australia and enhance their military cooperation, including space and cyberspace.

On this issue Gates said "The Space Situational Awareness Partnership statement of principles signed
today, for example, will lead to great cooperation between our militaries  in the areas of intelligence,
surveillance and reconnaissance.

Jerald Terwilliger
National Chairman
American Cold War Veterans
"We Remember"

---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996