Trump’s War On Arms Control and Disarmament

Seventy-five years ago, the United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing more than 200,000 Japanese and injuring another 100,000.  The great fires that raged in each city consumed many of the bodies.  If ever there was a visceral force for promoting a world free of nuclear arms, it should be the memory of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

In view of Donald Trump’s ignorance and indifference, it is no surprise that the White House made no mention on August 6th and August 9th of these horrific events.  Trump has been too busy scrapping many of the arms control and disarmament treaties that it inherited from previous administrations.  Trump made it clear in the 2016 presidential debates that he had no understanding of the central issues of the nuclear arms race, including the nuclear triad.  When he couldn’t answer a question on nuclear verification, Trump typically bluffed that “it would take me an hour and a half to learn everything there is to know about missiles.  I think I know most of it anyway.”

Read more here:

https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/08/12/trumps-war-on-arms-control-and-disarmament-2/

Recent News and Latest Book

The Atlantic Joins the Chorus of Fear

One of the lessons of the Cold War should have been the danger of exaggerating the threat or key adversaries in order to avoid the great cost of unnecessary military buildups.  We spent unnecessarily against a Soviet “threat” that was hyped beyond reality.  Politicians and pundits alike are failing to actually assess the the threat or the adversary, which is contributing to budget deficits and heightened fears.  More time should be devoted to the study of diplomatic history in order to examine precedents for improving bilateral relations.  Fear is driving us toward arms races; diplomacy could drive us to arms control and disarmament as well as a more stable international environment.

Two Wars, Five Losing Nations

The United States, complicit in Israel’s genocidal actions and sending conflicting signals regarding Ukraine and Gaza, is also losing in terms of influence and standing.  The international community understands the hypocrisy of the Biden administration that condemns the terrorism of Russia but allows the terrorism of Israel.  The United States has been Israel’s political shield on the global stage for the past 75 years.  A New York Times editorial on Monday continued to support Biden’s most recent veto of a Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza.

Containing the National Security State

Containing the National Security State