On August 6, 2005, the United States dropped an atomic bomb over the civilian population of Hiroshima, Japan. Over 250,000 thousand were killed from the bombings and many suffered horrible deaths from radiation burns, radiation poisoning and systemic necrosis.

Recently uncovered historical documents show that the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, often credited with ending the war, were actually unnecessary; the United States had credible intelligence that the Japanese were ready to surrender and were seeking ways to do so without humiliation, according to historian Howard Zinn in a People's History of the United States.

More recently, the American people have been told that wars in Afghanistan and Iraq were necessary to end the war on terror. Varied and credible sources now confirm what peace advocates knew all along: these wars were fought for other reasons than what our government told us. It was not only unnecessary, it has actually weakened any legitimate efforts in curbing terrorism.

What is unknown to many people is that atomic warfare has continues up until this very day. Activated Depleted Uranium munitions are much less dramatic than giant mushroom clouds and people with missing flesh. Nonetheless, the impact of these weapons on civilians is nothing short of genocide. DU poisons environments, including water and land, and poisons people insidiously, weakening people's immune systems, leaving people vulnerable to pathogens, cancers and genetic mutations. As of 2004, the radiation from DU used in Iraq was equivalent to the fallout of 250,000 Nagasaki bombs!

Lockheed Martin plays a part in this genocide by supplying the United States and other aggressive nations with the equipment needed to deliver Depleted Uranium munitions and other weapons used against civilian populations. In other words, Lockheed Martin profits off of the misery that war is inflicting on people around the world.

On the afternoon of August 5th, the Santa Cruz Weapons Inspection Team visited the gates of Lockheed Martin and called on the consciences of employees to consider the implications of their actions.

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The Santa Cruz Weapons Inspections team holds regular monthly vigils at Lockheed Martin. For more information, please see: www.scwit.org