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Biological and Chemical Weapons

The U.S. Debate Over the CWC: Supporters and Opponents*

Supporters

Opponents

Industry and Labor Organizations
For the CWC**

American Crop Protection Association
Biotechnology Industry Organization
Business Executives for National Security
Chemical Manufacturers Association
Florida Manufacturing and Chemical Council
Oil, Chemical & Atomic Workers
International Union, AFL-CIO
Pennsylvania Chemical Industry Council
Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers
of America
Synthetic Organic Chemicals Manufacturers
Association
Texas Chemical Council

Industry and Labor Organizations
Against the CWC**

U.S. Business and Industrial Council

Companies For the CWC

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
Akso Nobel Chemicals, Inc.
ARCO Chemical Company
Ashland Chemical Company
BASF Corporation
Bayer Corporation
Betz Dearborne, Inc.
The BF Goodrich Co.
Borden Chemicals and Plastics, LP
BP Chemicals, Inc.
Carus Chemical Company
Crompton and Knowles Corporation
Dow Chemical Company
Dow Corning Corporation
Eastman Chemical Company
E.I. DuPont de Nemours
Elf Atochem North America
Enthone-OMI, Inc.
Ethyl Corporation
Exxon Chemical Company
FINA, Inc.
FMC Corporation
Givaudan-Roure Corporation
Great Lakes Chemical Corporation
Harris Chemical Group
Hercules, Inc.
Hoechst Celanese Corporation
Lonza, Inc.
Mallinckrodt Group, Inc.
Monsanto Chemical
Morton International, Inc.
Nalco Chemical Company
National Starch and Chemical Company
NOVA Corporation
Occidental Chemical Corporation
Olin Corporation
Perstorp Polyols, Inc.
PPG Industries, Inc.
Quantum Chemical Company
Reichhold Chemicals, Inc.
Reilly Industries, Inc.
Rhone-Poulenc, Inc.
Rhom and Haas Company
R. T. Vanderbilt Company, Inc.
Sartomer Company
Stepan Company
Sterling Chemicals, Inc.
Texas Brine Corporation
Union Carbide Corporation
Uniroyal Chemical Company, Inc.
Velsicol Chemical Corporation
Vulcan Chemicals
W. R. Grace & Company

Companies Against the CWC

Scientific Organizations, Scientists
For the CWC

American Association for the Advancement
of Science
American Institute of Chemical Engineers
American Chemical Society
American Physical Society
American Public Health Association
Chemists from the National Academy of
Sciences (148 signatures)
Council for Chemical Research, Inc.
(approximately 200 commercial and
university laboratories)
Federation of American Scientists
Union of Concerned Scientists
49 Nobel laureates (click here for names)

Scientific Organizations, Scientists
Against the CWC

Robert B. Barker, former Assistant to the
Secretary of Defense for Nuclear and
Chemical Weapon Matters
William R. Graham, former Science
Advisor to the President

Veterans Organizations
For the CWC

American Ex-Prisoners of War
American GI Forum of the United States
American Veterans from Vietnam, Korea,
World War I, and World
War II (AMVETS)
Jewish War Veterans of America
Korean War Veterans Association
The National Gulf War Resource Center
Reserve Officers Association of the
Veterans for Peace
Veterans of Foreign Wars
Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation
Vietnam Veterans of America, Inc.

Veterans Organizations
Against the CWC

Legal Organizations, Lawyers
For the CWC

American Bar Association
Association of the Bar of the City of
New York
22 Prominent lawyers (click here for names)

Legal Organizations, Lawyers
Against the CWC

John Yoo, University of California at Berkeley
Ronald Rotunda, University of Illinois College of Law

Religious Organizations
For the CWC

American Friends Service Committee
The American Jewish Committee
The American Jewish Congress
Anti-Defamation League
B'nai B'rith
Church of the Brethren, Washington Office
Church Women United
Commission on Social Action of Reform
Judaism
The Episcopal Church
Episcopal Peace Fellowship
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Fellowship of Reconciliation
Friends Committee on National Legislation
Hadassah, The Women's Zionist
Organization of America, Inc.
Jews Against Genocide
Maryknoll Justice and Peace Office
Mennonite Central Committee
Methodists United for Peace with Justice
National Council of Churches
National Jewish Committee Relations
Advisory Council
NETWORK--A National Catholic Social
Justice Lobby
Presbyterian Church (USA)
Union of American Hebrew Congregations
Unitarian Universalist Association
United Church of Christ, Office for Church
in Society
United Methodists General Board of
Church and Society
United States Catholic Conference
The United Synagogue of Conservative
Judaism

Religious Organizations
Against the CWC

Newspapers, Periodicals
For the CWC

The Washington Post
The New York Times
USA Today
Chicago Tribune
The Boston Globe
Los Angeles Times
Christian Science Monitor
Defense News
Chemical & Engineering News
Arms Control Today
Aviation Week and Space Technology
The International Herald-Tribune
The Journal of Commerce

Additionally, in alphabetical order:
Akron Beacon-Journal
Ann Arbor News (MI)
Anniston Star (AL)
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Baltimore Sun
Bangor Daily News (ME)
Birmingham News
The Buffalo News (NY)
Cedar Rapids Gazette (IA)
The Charlotte Observer
The Commercial Appeal (Memphis)
Concorde Monitor (NH)
The Courier-Journal (Louisville, KY)
The Daily Camera (Boulder, CO)
Daily Times-Call (Longmont, CO)
The Dallas Morning News
Dayton Daily News
Decatur Daily (AL)
The Denver Post
Des Moines Register (IA)
Deseret News (Salt Lake City, UT)
Detriot Free Press
The East Oregonian (Pendleton, OR)
Emporia Gazette (KS)
Florida Times-Union
Forest City Courier (NC)
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
The Gainesville Sun (FL)
Greensboro News and Record (NC)
The Harrisburg Patriot (PA)
Hays Daily News (Hays, KS)
The Herald-Sun (Durham, NC)
Hickory Daily Record (NC)
Honolulu Star-Bulletin
Houston Chronicle
Idaho Falls Post Register
The Indianapolis Star
The Intelligencer Journal (Lancaster, PA)
The Journal Gazette (Ft. Wayne, IN)
Keene Sentinel (NH)
The Knoxville News-Sentinel
Lincoln Journal Star (NE)
Long Island Newsday
Manhattan Mercury (KS)
The Miami Herald
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Minneapolis Star-Tribune
National Catholic Reporter
New Haven Register
New York Newsday
The News Journal (Daytona Beach, FL)
The Oregonian (Portland)
The Palm Beach Post (FL)
The Patriot and Evening
News (Harrisburg, PA)
Patriot Ledger (Quincy, MA)
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The Port St. Lucy News (Stuart, FL)
Portland Press Herald (ME)
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC)
The Post-Standard (Syracuse, NY)
The Record (NJ)
Rocky Mountain News
The Sacramento Bee
San Jose Mercury News (CA)
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
St. Paul Pioneer Press (MN)
St. Petersburg Times
Salisbury Post (NC)
The Salt Lake Tribune
Salina Journal (KS)
San Antonio Express-News
The San Francisco Chronicle
The Santa Fe New Mexican
Seattle Times
Statesman Journal (Salem, OR)
The Sunday Record (Bergen County, NJ)
The Tampa Tribune
The Tennesseean (Nashville)
The Times Daily (Florence, AL)
The Times-Picayune (LA) The Times Tribune (Scranton, PA)
The Vicksburg Post (MS)
Winston-Salem Journal (NC)
The Witchita Eagle

Newspapers, Periodicals
Against the CWC

The Wall Street Journal
The Washington Times
The Weekly Standard

Additionally, in alphabetical order:
The Arizona Republic (Phoenix)
The Daily Oklahoman
The Leader-Call (Laurel, MS)
Richmond Times-Dispatch (VA)

Other Organizations
For the CWC

Americans for Democratic Action
Arab-American Anti-Discrimination
Committee
Arms Control Association
British American Security Information Council
Business Executives for National Security
Center for Constitutional Rights
Center for Defense Information
Chemical Weapons Working Group
Coalition for Intervention
Against Genocide
Council for a Livable World
Council on Economic Priorities
CTA/Bellona Foundation USA
Demilitarization for Democracy
Doctors of the World-USA
Economists Allied for Arms Reductions
Environmental Defense Fund
Friends of Bosnis
Friends of the Earth
Fund for New Priorities in America
Global Green USA
Greenpeace
Heartland Alliance for Human Needs
and Human Rights
The Henry L. Stimson Center
Human Rights Watch
International Center
Lawyers Alliance for World Security
Lawyers Committee for Human Rights
League of Conservation Voters
League of Women Voters
Midwest Coalition for Human Rights
Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights
Natural Resources Defense Council
Parliamentarians for Global Action
Peace Action
Physicians for Human Rights
Physicians for Social Responsibility
Plutonium Challenge
Population Action International
Public Education Center
Refugees International
Safer World
Sierra Club
Taxpayers for Common Sense
20/20 Vision National Project
Union of Concerned Scientists
U.S. Committee for Refugees
Utah Citizen's Advisory Commission
on Chemical Demilitarization
Women's Action for New Directions
Women's International League for
Peace and Freedom
Women Strike for Peace
World Federalist Association
Zero Population Growth

Other Organizations
Against the CWC

American Conservative Union
American Defense Institute
The American Society for the Defense
of Tradition, Family, and Property
Americans for Tax Reform
Center for Security Policy
Coalitions for America
Competitive Enterprise Institute
Concerned Women for America
Conservative Caucus
Eagle Forum
Foundation for American Liberty
Free Congress Foundation
Frontiers for Freedom
Government is Not God
Gunowners of America
The Heritage Foundation
High Frontiers
Home School Legal Defense
Association
National Center for Public Policy
Research
Project 21
60+
Small Business Survival Committee

Public Opinion For the CWC

84% of Americans surveyed support
ratification of the CWC.***

Public Opinion Against the CWC

13% of Americans surveyed oppose
ratification of the CWC.***

Individuals
For the CWC****

Kenneth Adelman, former Director, Arms
Control and Disarmament Agency
Madeleine Albright, Secretary of State
Adm. Stanley Arthur, U.S.N. (Ret.),
former Vice Chief of Naval Operations
James A. Baker, III, former Secretary of
State
Harold Brown, former Secretary of Defense
George Bush, former President
Warren Christopher, former Secretary of
State
William Jefferson Clinton, President
William Cohen, Secretary of Defense
John M. Deutch, former Director of Central
Intelligence
Robert Dole, former senator
Gen. Michael Dugan, U.S.A.F. (Ret.),
former Air Force Chief of Staff
Lawrence Eagleburger, former Secretary of
State
Gerald Ford, former President
Gen. Charles Horner, U.S.A.F. (Ret.),
former CINC, U.S. Space Command
Gen. David Jones, U.S.A.F. (Ret.),
former Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff
Nancy Kassebaum, former U.S. Senator
Stephen Ledogar, U.S. Representative to the
Conference on Disarmament
Ronald Lehman, former Director, Arms
Control and Disarmament Agency
Adm. Wesley McDonald, U.S.N. (Ret.),
former CINC, Atlantic Command
Gen. Merrill McPeak, U.S.A.F. (Ret.),
former Air Force Chief of Staff
Vil Mirzayanov, whistleblower on the
Soviet/Russian novichok program
Gen. Carl Mundy, U.S.M.C. (Ret.),
former Commandant, U.S. Marine Corps
Sam Nunn, former U.S. Senator
Adm. William Owens, U.S.N. (Ret.)
former Vice Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff
William Perry, former Secretary of Defense
Gen. Colin Powell, U.S.A. (Ret.),
former Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff
William A. Reinsch, Under Secretary of
Commerce for Export Administration
Janet Reno, Attorney General
Elliot Richardson, former Secretary of
Defense Gen. Robert RisCassi, U.S.A. (Ret.),
former CINC, U.S. Forces Korea
Edward Rowny, former Advisor to
the President
Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, U.S.A. (Ret.),
former CINC, Central Command
Brent Scowcroft, former National
Security Advisor
Gen. John Shalikashvili, Chairman of the
Joint Chiefs of Staff
Walter B. Slocombe, Deputy Under
Secretary for Policy, Department
of Defense
Theodore R. Stanley
Gen. Gordon Sullivan, U.S.A. (Ret.),
former Army Chief of Staff
George Tenet, Acting Director of Central
Intelligence
Adm. Richard Truly, U.S.N. (Ret.),
former Director, NASA
Adm. Stansfield Turner, U.S.N. (Ret.),
former Director of Central Intelligence
Gen. John Vessey, U.S.A. (Ret.),
former Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff
Gen. Frederick Woerner, U.S.A. (Ret.),
former CINC, Southern Command
R. James Woolsey, former Director of
Central Intelligence
Adm. E.R. Zumwalt, Jr., U.S.N. (Ret.),
former Chief of Naval Operations

Individuals
Against the CWC****

Elliott Abrams, former Assistant Secretary of State
for Latin American Affairs
Mark Albrecht, former Executive Secretary,
National Space Council
Kathleen Bailey, former Assistant Director of
the Arms Control and Disarmament
Agency
Richard Cheney, former Secretary of Defense
William P. Clark, former National Security
Advisor
Henry Cooper, former Director, Strategic
Defense Initiative Organization
J.D. Crouch, former Principal Deputy
Assistant Secretary of Defense
Midge Decter, former President, Committee
for the Free World
Douglas J. Feith, former Deputy Assistant
Secretary of Defense
Steve Forbes, President and Editor-in-Chief,
Forbes
Jim Hagan, Nuclear Energy Institute
Thomas N. Harvey, former National Space
Council Staff Officer
John S. Herrington, former Secretary of
Energy
Amoretta M. Hoeber, former Deputy Under
Secretary, U.S. Army
Vice Adm. William Houser, U.S. N. (Ret.),
former Deputy Chief of Naval Operations
Fred Ikle, former Under Secretary of
Defense for Policy
Lt.Gen. Thomas Kelly, U.S.M.C. (Ret.),
former Director for Operations, Joint Chiefs of Staff
Alan Keyes, former presidential candidate
Jeane Kirkpatrick, former U.S. Ambassador
to the United Nations
Charles Krauthammer, The New Republic
Charles M. Kupperman, former Special
Assistant to the President
John Lehman, former Secretary of the Navy
James P. Lucier
Edwin Meese, III, former Attorney General
Adm. Kinnaird McKee, U.S.N. (Ret.),
former Director, Naval Nuclear Propulsion
Lt.Gen. T.H. Miller, U.S.M.C. (Ret.),
former Fleet Marine Force Commander
Richard Perle, former Assistant Secretary of
Defense
Gen. John Piotrowski, U.S.A.F. (Ret.),
former Vice Chief of the Air Force
Norman Podhoretz, former Editor,
Commentary Magazine
Peter W. Rodman, former Dep. Asst. to the
President for National Security Affairs
Donald Rumsfeld, former Secretary of
Defense
Phyllis Schlafly, Eagle Forum
James Schlesinger, former Secretary of
Defense
Gen. Bernard Schriever, U.S.A.F. (Ret.),
former Commander, Air Research and
and Air Force Systems Command
Carl M. Smith, former Staff Director,
Senate Armed Services Committee
William Van Cleave, former Associate
Director, Office of Science and
Technology
Casper Weinberger, former Secretary of
Defense
George Will, columnist
Lt.Gen. James Williams, U.S.A. (Ret.),
former Director, Defense Intelligence Agency
Curtin Winsor, Jr., Former U.S. Ambassador
to Costa Rica
Dov. S. Zakheim, former Deputy Under
Secretary of Defense

* This list was compiled from our files of statements confirming support or opposition to the Chemical Weapons Convention. Organizations that would like to submit additional statements of support or opposition can do so via e-mail or fax [(202)785-9034]. We will do our best to keep this list up to date.

** The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), representing over 600,000 small businesses, has been portrayed by some as being opposed to the CWC. On the contrary, Dan Danner, the organization's vice president for federal-governmental relations, has stated, "It is 100% incorrect when it was said in floor debate that NFIB opposes" the Convention. "It is now our belief our members are not going to be impacted." (Wall Street Journal, 14 February 1997, A16.)

*** Findings from a national survey of 1000 adults conducted February 20-22, 1997, by Wirthlin Worldwide and The Melman Group, Inc. See above link for more details.

**** Many other individuals not listed here have come out in favor of or against the Convention. This list is meant to be illustrative, not all-inclusive.