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| Missing Peace Anthony Freda Art |
Stephen Lendman
Activist Post
Jack Kennedy was America’s last peace president. He underwent a spiritual transformation. He changed from cold warrior to peacemaker.
He wanted nuclear weapons abolished. He urged “general and complete disarmament.” He wanted force-fed Pax Americana ended.
He assumed great risk. Nearly all his top advisors disapproved. Pentagon commanders opposed him. So did most congressional members. CIA officials weren’t pleased.
Kennedy was vulnerable. He knew it. He accepted the risk. It cost him his life. He was assassinated weeks after signing the US/Soviet Russia Limited Test Ban Treaty and National Security Action Memorandum Number 263.
It called for removing 1,000 US troops from Vietnam by year end. It mandated all American forces out by December 1965.
Obama’s no Jack Kennedy. On April 5, 2009, he spoke in Prague’s Hradcany Square. He did so duplicitously. He lied saying “clearly and with conviction America’s commitment to seek the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons.”
He pledged “concrete steps” never taken. They included:
- reducing nuclear stockpiles enough to matter;
- banning testing;
- halting fissile material production;
- preventing nuclear proliferation and use;
- pursuing diplomacy with Iran and North Korea; and
- resolving key security challenges to create conditions for a world without nuclear weapons.
America’s current arsenal includes state-of-the-art nuclear, chemical, biological, and other type weapons of mass destruction.
They’re more advanced, powerful and dangerous than ever. They’re deployed globally. They menace humanity. America’s preemptive first-strike nuclear posture remains unchanged.
On June 19, Obama urged Russia to join America in reducing strategic nuclear arsenals by one-third.
A White House press release said:
Today, the President announced new guidance that aligns US nuclear policies to the 21st century security environment.
This is the latest in a series of concrete steps the President has made to advance his Prague agenda and the long-term goal of achieving the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons.
Obama’s so-called “new guidance” includes:
- maintaining “a credible deterrent;”
- aligning America’s military deterrent according to 2010 Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) provisions; more on them below;
- strengthening non-nuclear capabilities;
- “reduc(ing) the role of launch under attack (while) retain(ing) a launch under attack capability;”
- achieving “more effective management of the nuclear weapons stockpile;” and
- “maintain(ing) a safe, secure and effective arsenal that guarantees the defense of the US and our allies and partners.”
- America “seek(s) negotiated cuts with Russia so that we can continue to move beyond Cold War nuclear postures.”
On December 26, 1991, the Soviet Union dissolved. So-called Cold War friction ostensibly ended. Conditions today are the most perilous in world history.
America bears full responsibility. Wars without end rage. Obama has others in mind. He pursues them recklessly. Humanity’s survival is at stake.
Obama’s no peacemaker. He prioritizes war. He spends more on militarism than the rest of the world combined. He’s developing more powerful weapons of mass destruction.
He’s deploying them globally. He maintains a growing empire of bases. Hundreds are in over 150 countries. They encroach close to Russian and Chinese borders. They do so belligerently. They threaten world peace.
Obama’s nuclear reduction proposal lacks credibility. It does so for good reason. He broke every major promise made. He’s a serial liar. He can’t be trusted.
He’s a war criminal multiple times over. His nuclear policy prioritizes first-strike preemption. It does so against manufactured enemies.
His 2010 Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) reflects old wine in new bottles. Rhetoric changed, not policy. NPR 2010 said America “reserves the right” to use nuclear weapons.
Doing so “may be warranted by the evolution and proliferation of the biological weapons threat and US capacities to counter that threat.”
No threat whatever exists. More advanced weapons replace older ones. US nuclear policy menaces humanity. It prioritizes greater deterrent capability.
It unilaterally asserts the right to strike preemptively. It does without cause, justification or consequences.
Obama’s NPR reflects war-making, not prevention. It replicates Bush’s 2005 Doctrine for Joint Nuclear Operations. It removes the distinction between defensive and offensive deterrents.
It prioritizes upgrading America’s destructive triad. It includes sea-based strategic bombers, land-based missiles, and ballistic missile submarines.
It maintains robust research, development, and industrial infrastructure. It continues to develop, build, and deploy unchallengeable offensive and defensive systems.
It exceeds deterrent. It calls for nuclear and non-nuclear preemption. It does so against unnamed adversaries.
It prioritizes permanent wars on humanity. At issue is resource control and unchallenged global dominance.
It calls for eliminating all independent governments. It wants no rivals. It wants pro-Western puppet regimes subservient to US interests.
On April 8, 2010, America and Russia signed New Start (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty). On February 11, 2011, it became effective.
It’s more smoke screen than substance. Nuclear reduction is illusory. Proliferation continues.
Disarmament isn’t envisioned. America’s arms race continues. Unconscionable amounts are spent. Popular needs go begging. War-making priorities come first.
New Start leaves America unconstrained. It’s global strike capability is uncompromised. Developing upgraded humanity-destroying weapons continues.
Annual budgets include growing amounts to do so. Obama’s brave nuke world is unsafe to live in. He’s got lots more war-making in mind.
He prioritizes state-of-the-art capability to do so. It includes more destructive than ever nuclear weapons.
He asserts the right to use them preemptively. He does so unilaterally. He targets enemies created out of whole cloth.
NPR 2010 changed rhetoric. Policy remains unchanged. NPT’s three pillars are disregarded. They include non-proliferation, disarmament, and peaceful use.
Reinstituting the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty isn’t envisioned. It was in force for 30 years. In 2002, Bush administration rogues unilaterally withdrew. America remains unconstrained to wage war.
The Pentagon’s 2006 Global Strike Command remains policy. It’s for war-making, not prevention. It’s for offense, not defense. It prioritizes first-strike capability.
So does the 2009 Prompt Global Strike initiative. It’s to attack anywhere in the world. It’s to do so on short notice. It’s to use conventional, nuclear and other weapons.
NPR 2010 states America “reserves the right” to use nuclear weapons “that may be warranted by the evolution and proliferation of the biological weapons threat and US capacities to counter that threat.”
It keeps nuclear missiles ready to launch in minutes. It asserts the unilateral preemptive right to do so.
It’s aggressive. It’s lawless. It threatens world peace. It assures permanent wars. It threatens humanity.
Bush’s December 2002 National Security Presidential Directive (NSPD) 17 (“Weapons of Mass Destruction)” remains unchanged. It states:
The United States will continue to make clear that it reserves the right to respond with overwhelming force – including through resort to all of our options – to the use (or threatened use) of WMD(s) against the United States, our forces abroad, and friends and allies.
Launching nuclear war is a presidential prerogative. Theater nuclear operations are at the discretion of commanders. They can use tactical mini-nukes preemptively. They can do so based on falsified threats.
Obama can invent them to wage nuclear war. He can do so globally. He can do it preemptively. Perhaps he’ll take full advantage. No greater threat exists.
On June 19, Ria Novosti headlined “Russia Skeptical Over Obama’s New Nuclear Reduction Proposal.”
Moscow officials distrust him for good reason. They do so “in light of US global missile defense plans and attempts by other counties to boost their nuclear arsenals.”
Obama’s proposed “bold reductions in US and Russian tactical weapons in Europe” don’t wash. According to senior Putin foreign policy advisor Yury Ushakov:
The situation now is not like in the 1960s and 1970s, when only the United States and the Soviet Union held talks on reducing nuclear arms.
Now we need to look more broadly and expand the circle of participants in possible contacts on this matter.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin added:
How can we take seriously this idea about cuts in strategic nuclear potential while the United States is developing its capabilities to intercept Russia’s nuclear potential.
Arms issues involves offensive and defensive ones, he stressed.
To show the lack of understanding of this (by proposing further nuclear cuts) – means either openly lying, bluffing and deceiving, or demonstrating a deep lack of professionalism.
Putin addressed Obama’s proposal, saying:
We cannot afford to disrupt the balance of the system of strategic deterrence, to reduce effectiveness of its nuclear forces. Therefore, the development of the system of space defense will remain a key direction for the military industry.
Putin and other Russian officials express great concern about America surrounding Russia with so-called missile defense systems meant for offense.
Putin, Rogozin, Ushakov, and other officials know Obama can’t be trusted. He’s a serial liar. His pledges aren’t worth the rhetoric explaining them. They’re not worth the paper they’re written on. They’re promises made to be broken.
Independent Russian military experts believe Obama’s proposal “could potentially destroy the existing nuclear parity and ultimately hurt Russia’s national security interests.”
Obama prioritizes it. Russia and China alone challenge America’s dominance. Washington wants both rivals neutralized.
Expect neither to bow to America’s will. They represent humanity’s best chance. United perhaps they’ll thwart America’s imperium. Hopefully they’ll take full advantage and succeed.
Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at [email protected]. His new book is titled How Wall Street Fleeces America: Privatized Banking, Government Collusion and Class War. Also visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network Thursdays at 10AM US Central time and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are archived for easy listening. http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour/
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