Washington D.C., May 6, 2016 / 02:36 am
A coalition of scientists and faith leaders has called on President Barack Obama to take "meaningful" steps to reduce the threat of "nuclear catastrophe" in light of his likely upcoming trip to Japan.
"Nuclear weapons remain a real and urgent threat to humanity and our planet. If there is even a limited nuclear exchange, millions – if not billions – of people could perish; large swaths of the planet could be contaminated; and the global economy could collapse," a May 4 letter stated.
The statement was released by Bishop Oscar Cantú, chairman of the U.S. Bishops' committee on International Justice and Peace; Ken Kimmell, president of the Union of Concerned Scientists; Leith Anderson, president of the National Association of Evangelicals; and Gabriel Salguero, president of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition.
The group cited President Obama's 2009 Prague address, during which he said the United States had a responsibility to lead the world in reducing nuclear arms.