Summertime still means slow responses, but at least a few people do express views. "Should the US continue to disarm its nuclear forces, trusting Russia to do likewise?" All (100%) of our small handful of answers agreed that the US should not continue nuclear disarmament, but rather should rebuild its already-depleted nuclear strike capability.

The Soviet Russian nuclear threat is growing. Although there were promises years ago of Russian disarmament, to this day no one can confirm they ever did reduce their nuclear forces. On the contrary, many US defense officials do not trust Moscow's intentions, and with good reason. By its own admission, the neo-Communist regime has failed to destroy any of its stockpiled missile fuel (it coincidentally "vanished" or was allegedly used up, say Russia's generals, without proof). Amidst ongoing secrecy regarding all such programs, US intelligence officials have recently discovered that the Soviets have been illegally maintaining a newly updated anti-ballistic missile system (in violation of disarmament treaties) consisting of nuclear-tipped surface-to-air missiles and a networked radar system all around the edges of Russia.

More evidence has surfaced that the Soviet regime continues to lie and violate its treaty obligations by secretly maintaining huge stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons. In fact, many US officials now believe the Soviets are actually manufacturing more of these weapons right now! Certainly, Moscow itself admits to having destroyed very little of its chemical weapons, and its biological weapons laboratories are still open and functioning. (The US, of course, has no such weapons at all, and thus no way to fight back if attacked with them.)

On top of all that, Soviet dictator Vladimir Putin has been openly expanding and upgrading his nuclear forces for a future war. For several years, the Soviets have been conducting missile tests, as well as potentially illegal nuclear warhead testing; now they are deploying a new long-range guided ICBM (the Topol-M) and new nuclear submarines for launching such missiles. Meanwhile, their air force (which can also deliver nuclear weapons) is receiving modernized MIG-29 and MIG-31 fighters and the new S-400 long-range missile.

Where is President Bush in all this? Incredibly, he offered in 2001 (after the 9/11 attacks, no less) to reduce the US nuclear arsenal by two-thirds — unilaterally, even if the Soviets continue their buildup! A delighted Putin soon negotiated a new nuclear disarmament treaty with Bush (passed by Congress two years ago), which locks America into a legal commitment to this drastic surrender of strength. And although the Soviets will certainly be glad to violate this treaty with impunity like all others, in this case they may not have to; the treaty allows Russia to "delay" their cuts while the US proceeds!

Astonished military officers have been pointing out that this treaty, for the first time, could actually take US nuclear forces below the minimum level needed to damage Soviet military forces in a major war.

The Torah's response: Again, the obligation to establish law and order (under the Noachide commandment of justice) unequivocally empowers and mandates any government to maintain adequate national defense. American failure to abide by its responsibility doesn't just endanger Americans, but also all other non-Communist nations, who would now be faced with a greater risk of nuclear blackmail by the Communist Bloc. That danger includes Israel, as well as Jews living anywhere in the world; consequently, all Jews are also obligated to do whatever is possible to restore American defenses while there is still time. This is why Pirkei Avos (lit., "Chapters [of ethical principles] of the Forefathers," found in the Talmud) calls on all Jews to pray for the peace of their host government (chapter 3:2).

And now for this week's survey question:

Only one answer per e-mail address will be accepted; only e-mail addresses on our subscription list are eligible. Please send your input by Tuesday, August 16, 2005, 12pm PST.

This week's example:
Rabbi Baruch Y. Hecht, Chabad of Brentwood, Los Angeles, CA

Rabbi Hecht received our proclamation (calling on all Jews to get involved in the campaign to defund the PLO) on March 9 at 12:41pm. Not having heard back from him, we again contacted him by e-mail on June 26. Still he doesn't respond.

Rabbi Hecht was given a plum Chabad House located in a well-to-do area of the city of Los Angeles, which he received, of course, under the authority of Rabbi Boruch S. Cunin, head of the Chabad-Lubavitch organization for the entire state — and so far a stubborn "refusenik" who willfully ignores the approaching danger to the nation of Israel and the desperate need to defund the PLO while there is still time. Cunin is also quite an opponent of any project to pull gentiles out of Christianity (the story of Cunin's fight against the Rebbe's Noachide campaign is told at www.noahide.com/cunin.htm). Rabbi Baruch Hecht doesn't have much maneuvering room to oppose Cunin and endorse the anti-PLO campaign — unless he's prepared to take some serious personal losses from Cunin's revenge. Still, the Torah requires him to do so for the sake of saving lives — such as the millions of Israeli lives now becoming endangered by an approaching PLO war.

This week's example:
Rabbi Peretz P. Hecht, Oholei Torah Yeshiva, Brooklyn, NY

A JAHG-USA volunteer personally showed Rabbi Hecht the anti-PLO proclamation on May 26, and he signed it without delay.

It is possible that Rabbi Peretz Hecht, a teacher at one of the Lubavitch boys' yeshivos in Brooklyn, is related to Rabbi Baruch Hecht in Los Angeles (the extended Hecht family is a large presence throughout Lubavitch). If so, Baruch Hecht should feel all the more ashamed at his fear of signing, in contrast to Peretz Hecht's lack of any hesitation. There must be something interfering with Baruch Hecht's ability to make proper, ethical decisions that isn't hindering Peretz Hecht. In fact, several of Peretz Hecht's fellow teachers were present and all signed the proclamation, and not one of those rabbis found any objection to it at all. (Presumably, neither does Baruch Hecht, which is why he prefers to remain silent rather than publicly declaring his unwillingness to sign; he has plenty to be ashamed of.)

What do you think about Jewish leadership on PLO defunding? Send us your comments at [address withheld].

For a complete listing of all rabbis who have received our proclamation, and the up-to-date status of their responses, visit ATTAC Report at http://www.attacreport.com/plo/.

This week's edition of our sister site, ATTAC Report, presents:

• Audio excerpts from an exclusive radio broadcast the day after 9/11, during which a PLO agent tried to stop author Boruch Ellison from naming the terrorist groups behind the attacks on America
• The historical timeline tracing the infiltration of medieval Europe by Amalek's secret societies
• A map of 120 concentration camps (including more than a dozen death camps) in modern Kazakhstan

• (Regarding last week's discussion about the 2003 Iraq War and its no-win rules of combat):
"...I have suspected that this was another Vietnam. Now it is clear...." — JS.

• (Regarding the recent survey question whether the US should continue closing military bases):
"Regarding the questions of closing air force and military bases, I strongly disagree. In fact, I feel we need more in these end times...." — ST.

• "...I am appalled at President Bush's policy to get Israel to go back to the 1948 boundaries. Giving back Israel's hard-earned land appears anti-biblical.... this is the most dangerous policy a gentile country could make. We have been blessed for our support in the past. Why remove these blessings?" — JB.

Our response: As various rabbinical authorities, including the Lubavitcher Rebbe, have made clear, it is a clear violation of Jewish law for Jews to voluntarily surrender land once acquired. The reason is primarily security; the land Israel is now giving away is strategically vital and thus coveted by the Communists, who need those areas as launching points for a future invasion of Israel. More details on the Communist strategy regarding the West Bank and Gaza can be read in a documentary on ATTAC Report entitled "We Are the Next Target."

And yes, it is also the responsibility of both Jews and non-Jews to stop the US government from pushing Israel into this surrender. The best way to accomplish this is by going on the offensive — by pushing for a total cutoff in US taxpayer aid for the terrorist, Communist PLO. Visit JAHG-USA's mini-site for our PLO defunding campaign for details on how you can help.

Send your letter to the editor to [address withheld].

Be sure to visit our Web site, Noahide.com.