By MATT SOUTHWORTH

Transitioning from small town Wilmington, Ohio, to the “big city” of Washington, D.C., was full of adventure and excitement.

After four years at Wilmington College, I was ready for the next step in life. My exposure to Quaker thought led me to Washington, D.C., to work for the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL). My desk overlooks the Senate Hart Office Building. Much of my time is spent attending Congressional hearings, briefing our constituents, and developing strategies to influence federal policy.

A principal focus of my job is developing strategies to spread FCNL’s message that “War Is Not the Answer” around the country. Right now, we are promoting new U.S. strategies in Afghanistan which rely on development, diplomacy, and regional engagement as opposed to an expanded military presence. As a veteran of the Iraq War, it is my conviction that war is not the answer, and Afghanistan is no exception.

While independent experts are in not in agreement, the overwhelming majority acknowledge that sending more troops to Afghanistan will not bring peace or stability to the region.

Another part of the “War Is Not the Answer” campaign is working to reduce the danger posed by nuclear weapons. I am presently working to build support for Senate ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). The treaty was brought before Senate in 1999, but failed to achieve enough votes — 67 — to be ratified. The Senate is expected to bring the CTBT back to the Senate floor in 2010 with ratification a more hopeful prospect than it was in 1999.

The CTBT performs a simple function: preventing further testing of nuclear weapons. Over 160 nations have signed the CTBT, but not all have ratified it. Eight crucial countries remain: Indonesia, China, India, Pakistan, Egypt, North Korea, Iran, and the United States. If the U.S. were to ratify the treaty in 2010, it is certain most of these nations will follow. If the U.S. does not ratify the treaty, it is likely none of these other nations will either.

The U.S. unilaterally voluntarily discontinued nuclear weapons testing in 1992. Therefore, this would not be a radical change in policy for the U.S.

U.S. Senator George Voinovich of Ohio is crucial for ratification of the CTBT. Senator Voinovich is “committed to advancing the security of the United States.” As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the senator prides himself on being strong on national defense.

If the U.S. can take steps toward a world free of nuclear weapons, is that not a step closer to a safer world, and thus a safer America? President Obama has outlined an ambitious agenda to eliminate nuclear weapons which includes the ratification of this treaty. However, this should not be a partisan issue.

A world which is free of nuclear weapons will indisputably be a safer world. The ratification of the CTBT alone may not give us this world, but it will bring us one step closer to it. In a time when costly nuclear weapons serve no strategic purpose beyond possibly deterring others, perhaps it is time to move to a new way of thinking.

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EDITOR’S NOTE — Matt Southworth works for the Friends Committee on National Legislation and is a graduate of Wilmington College. He can be reached by e-mail at matt@fcnl.org.