paulcraigroberts | Pay close attention to Steven Starr’s guest column, “The Lethality of Nuclear Weapons.” http://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2014/05/30/lethality-nuclear-weapons/
Washington thinks nuclear war can be won and is planning for a first
strike on Russia, and perhaps China, in order to prevent any challenge
to Washington’s world hegemony.
The plan is far advanced, and the implementation of the plan is
underway. As I have reported previously, US strategic doctrine was
changed and the role of nuclear missiles was elevated from a retaliatory
role to an offensive first strike role. US anti-ballistic missile
(ABM) bases have been established in Poland on Russia’s frontier, and
other bases are planned. When completed Russia will be ringed with US
missile bases.
Anti-ballistic missiles, known as “star wars,” are weapons designed
to intercept and destroy ICBMs. In Washington’s war doctrine, the US
hits Russia with a first strike, and whatever retaliatory force Russia
might have remaining is prevented from reaching the US by the shield of
ABMs.
The reason Washington gave for the change in war doctrine is the
possibility that terrorists might obtain a nuclear weapon with which to
destroy an American city. This explanation is nonsensical. Terrorists
are individuals or a group of individuals, not a country with a
threatening military. To use nuclear weapons against terrorists would
destroy far more than the terrorists and be pointless as a drone with a
conventional missile would suffice.
The reason Washington gave for the ABM base in Poland is to protect
Europe from Iranian ICBMs. Washington and every European government
knows that Iran has no ICBMs and that Iran has not indicated any intent
to attack Europe.
No government believes Washington’s reasons. Every government
realizes that Washington’s reasons are feeble attempts to hide the fact
that it is creating the capability on the ground to win a nuclear war.
The Russian government understands that the change in US war doctrine
and the US ABM bases on its borders are directed at Russia and are
indications that Washington plans a first strike with nuclear weapons on
Russia.
China has also understood that Washington has similar intentions
toward China. As I reported several months ago, in response to
Washington’s threat China called the world’s attention to China’s
ability to destroy the US should Washington initiate such a conflict.
