New Russian Hypersonic Missile Spotlights U.S. Vulnerability, States Physicians for Civil Defense

TUCSON, Ariz., June 13, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- While Congress speculates on the possibility of Russians hacking the Democratic National Committee, the Russians are apparently more focused on destroying U.S. aircraft carriers. On June 3, Russia tested the Zircon missile, reportedly capable of destroying the most advanced warships with a single strike.

The Zircon missile has a 250-mile range and travels at six times the speed of sound. It may be deployed by 2018. India and China are also developing this technology, which could rapidly render U.S. defenses obsolete.

"While obsolescence of systems protecting our offensive military forces is very concerning," states Physicians for Civil Defense president Jane M. Orient, M.D., "systems to protect our civilian population are virtually nonexistent."

Russia has long had an anti-ballistic missile system to defend Moscow, but no U.S. city has comparable protection. Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative (denigrated as "Star Wars") was never deployed, although President George W. Bush abrogated the ABM Treaty, thereby making it possible. Only very limited systems have been in use, for example, Israel's Iron Dome, Dr. Orient said. Funding for development has languished.

"Deliberate U.S. vulnerability to nuclear attack has long been our policy," she said. "The government has even abandoned inexpensive low-tech protection of the millions of civilians who would survive the initial attack but would perish afterward if unprepared."

Video recordings now running in the lobby at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services mention the importance of having toys and children's games in your emergency supplies, but say nothing about blast or radiation protection, Dr. Orient observed on a recent visit.

The most important life-saving need is education: drop and cover immediately when a bright flash signals an approaching blast wave. Shelter is imperative if there is dangerous fallout. But it is also critical to avoid panic over very low radiation doses. Unfortunately, the U.S. fallout monitoring network is extremely limited, though excellent cost-effective technology is available. Thousands of expedient safe/not safe "dot" monitors have been given to first responders through citizen efforts. The federal Office of Civil Defense was eliminated in the 1990s. Millions of preventable deaths could result from lack of simple essentials.

Physicians for Civil Defense distributes information to help to save lives in the event of war or other disaster.

Contact: Jane M. Orient, M.D., (520) 323-3110, [email protected]

SOURCE Physicians for Civil Defense

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