GLOBAL ZERO-THE MOVEMENT:

Global Nuclear Disarmament

Thought Paper by Hajira Asaf Khan

Department of Defence and Strategic
Studies,
Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad.

Signed by 300 distinguished international leaders including Pakistans Sherry

Rehman, Pervez Hoodbhoy, Muhammad Amin Fahim, Khurshid Mahmood
Kasuri among others, the Global Zero movement is one that aims at
achieving Global disarmament of Nuclear Arsenals though a carefully
calculated action plan. Criticized by many as utopian, the movement caught
my attention after having discovered Ward Wilsons unconventional writings
on the issue. Our very own Prevez Hoodbhoy has written much in defence of
global disarmament and it comes as no surprise that he too should be a vital
part of the movement.
Nuclear weapons since their very first use have presented quite the
challenge for world leaders to stop its proliferation. Initially, because of
retaining the power of Nuclear Weapons Technology to themselves but then
cases like South Africa and Brazil emerged which underlined with their own
causes and objectives, made the disarmament dream seem like a reality not
too distant in the future. The Global Zero Movement started in 2008 and has
since gathered half a million active members who work day in and day out
towards achieving the objectives set by the Global Zero Action plan.
The plan is quite simplistic in its nature; get people to support the cause and
spread awareness against Nukes. Once achieved, phase one shall commence
which calls for the disarmament of 1,000 nuclear warheads by the US and
Russian Federation following a new START accord that binds both states in a
bilateral agreement to do so. During this time a multilateral agreement be
made between the remaining nuclear weapons states to cap on development
and or production of further nuclear warheads. This phase is to end by 2013.
Phase 2 commences from 2014-2018 urging US and Russia to dismantle a
further 500 warheads and binding the remaining nuclear power states to
produce or develop more. This should be followed by a proportionate
reduction in nuclear warheads till 2021.

Without further delving into more details, in the aforementioned pattern, the
Global Zero Movement aims to achieve Global Nuclear Disarmament by
2030.
For all that it is worth, one cannot help but think if the movement is a bit too
ambitious? Can it actually be achieved? Would the states succumb?
As we know already there are proponents and there are opponents of
Nuclear Disarmament. However, the Prague address of US President Obama
gives great hope to the Global Zero Movement in deeming their goals
achievable. A lot of the efforts of the movement have been based on the
Address but it is not without its obstacles. Evident from numerous accounts
of history, the Pentagon had often overridden the presidential decisions
successfully. Similarly, in April 2013 the Pentagon managed to retrieve
approval for a $2 billion investment in the development of the B-52 stealth
bombers of the US Strategic Forces. Ironically enough, the budget
adjustment had to be managed by cutting a large chunk of Americas
National Fund for Non-Proliferation efforts. The move has been considered as
a major setback to the cause however, individuals and volunteers continue
to join the cause by scores each day.
The most recent mass activity of Global Zero is a petition addressed to
President Obama to cut down spending on Nuclear Arsenals. The movement
aims to reach far and wide and across all strata of the global populous,
Initiating Student Chapter in various regions. The South Asian Student
Chapter is headed by a Pakistani Student at LUMS, Ayesha Pervez. Such
initiatives help generate support from grassroots levels. Educating students
against the dangers of Nuclear Weapons so that once they go out in the field,
they can work to effectively make the message of Nuclear Free world heard.
In my opinion, the organization has employed all the right tactics to reach a
fruitful end. However expecting an immediate result of impact is unrealistic
and such a cause, without a doubt requires great patience and perseverance.

However, the following are some of the ways in which the movement is
Doing it Right

Banking on the talents of people like Hoodbhoy, Wilson and others in

the academia to educate the public about the movement and to
motivate them towards supporting their cause.

Student chapters in various regions give a platform to young and

enthusiastic individuals to put their desire for World Peace to a
practical use and the travel opportunities offered also attract many of
the younger lot to actively participate in the movement.

Initiating petitions to promote participation from individuals that may

not necessarily be a part of the organizational structure of Global Zero.

Holding seminars and talks at various institutes to educate as many

people toward the feasibility and peaceful prospects that the success
of the movement promises in the longer run.

As many obstacles that the movement has had to overcome, it has also
claimed quite a few successes that I would regard as a major achievement
of any such movement in History. From the convincing arguments put
forth by the organization, top ranking individuals and academics have
earned themselves a place at the Pentagon where they contribute to
policy debates giving an even perspective to the decision making process.
Having an opponent of Nuclear Weapons as the Commander in Chief of
the US forces, President Barrack Hussein Obama has also greatly helped
the cause. It is seen as a gradual but effective move from blind faith in
the deterrent powers of the Nuclear Powers towards a realization of the
clear and present danger faced to World Peace in the presence of Nuclear
arsenals that are well capable of destroying the entire planet 2,200 times
over.

I have, after studying the objectives of the organization and the goals it
intends to achieve grown partial to the efforts. However, it is clear the
time frame set for the achievement of said goals is rather too ambitious.
The Phase I of the movement aims at reducing the Russian and American
Nuclear arsenals by 1,000 warheads. However no calculable efforts
towards that have been observed so far. Considering the objective is
intended to be achieved by the end of the current year, I find it hard to
believe that it shall succeed in completion in the designated time-frame.
However, the cause itself shows great promise for a peaceful and nuclear
free future but a rather distant one. Other than the overly optimistic time
constraints, the movement itself I have found highly promising as it
engages the established as well as emerging authorities on the Issue of
Nuclear Disarmament and helping the emerging individuals to establish
themselves in their respective areas. I believe the movement has yet a
few more years to go to gain the kind of momentum that could effectively
pressurize the nuclear states from capping Nuclear Arsenal Development
in both qualitative and quantitative capacities.