Prague Pact
By Farooque Chowdhury
27 April, 2010
Countercurrents.org
Another START, a non-start in practice, has been produced in Prague.
The Strategic Arms Reductions Treaty II (START II) would reduce the redundant nuke arms of the US and Russia and would also provide scope to increase nuclear arms. Both the countries would loose nothing from their actual nuclear firepower as there will be practically no reductions.
The treaty limits the number of warheads at 1,550, deployed delivery vehicles (DV) at 700 and non-deployed DVs at 100. The number of Russian DVs is below 700 and their number, as well as that of warheads, will significantly fall as a series of missiles have passed their expiry date. Those will be removed from combat duty in the next few years. Russia has to increase production of ballistic missiles, a Russian defense journal editor said, if it plans to maintain parity with the US under this treaty. The US only has to keep the number of its DVs at the existing level. He said : The treaty's authors have misled the public by counting one bomber as one warhead: it is common knowledge that both American and Russian bombers are capable of carrying six or more cruise missiles, each of which is equipped with one nuclear warhead. So, Lula questioned: “If we are talking about deactivating the warheads that are already beyond the expiration dates, what's the point? I have a medicine cabinet at home, too, out of which I chuck what has expired. Either we talk about disarmament seriously, or we cannot allow a group of countries to be armed to the teeth while others are disarmed.” (Conversation with Juan Luis Cebrián, a journalist. The article was published by El PaÃs and the translated version, by Yoshie Furuhashi, was run by MRzine)
START II offers face saving veil to the two countries ahead of a May review conference on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty as it requires that acknowledged nuclear powers must conduct constant negotiations on the reduction of their nuclear arms and their total elimination. The new treaty also eliminates a number of arguments advanced by Iran.
The pre- and post-START II signing days were charged with rising rivalry. The START II is not the real agenda. A different agenda is in a chest there in this competition ridden world breeding conflict. The Christian Science Monitor editorial board observed: “Arms control begins with conflict control.” But conflict control is not even beyond horizon. Increasing competition for the control of the dwindling strategic resources including the peak oil reality are escalating militarization around the globe where MNCs are major players-in-shadow in dramas in conflict, ethnic riots and civil wars.
The START II saw Kyrgyzstan cloud the great game field of central Asia and Afghanistan. Flights were diverted from Manas US base in Kyrgyzstan to Kuwait, and NATO informed suspension of Afghan supply flights from Manas. Russia sent paratroopers to its airbase in Kyrgyzstan and the deputy leader of the Kyrgyz interim government told that the Manas base was “not justified.” Kazakhstan wooed the US with offer of base and military over-flights to war-torn Afghanistan.
Russian air defense systems were planned for China as they signed military agreement. Medvedev said: Israeli attack on Iran might lead to nuclear conflict. The Russian military cautioned: US, Israeli attack on Iran would be unacceptable. A news report said that the US would retain 90 nukes on Iran border.
The Iceland volcanic ash “hovering over an uncertain Europe” appeared symbolic. Georgian territorial waters in the Black Sea is already flowing with tension. A US frigate went to Georgia's territorial waters to take part in exercises with the Georgians. Georgia is having a strategic partnership treaty with the US while the US provides economic and military support to Georgia. Moscow has pledges to help Abkhazia and South Ossetia and they grant each other the right to set up military bases in their respective territories. A new arms race is apprehended to be triggered by the US plan for full European missile shield as US officials assured their friends that the new START would not affect the plan, and NATO pressed Europe for more defense spending. It was reported that American troops would be arriving in Poland this year. Russia cautioned that it would pull out of the START II in case of new threat while Washington has made it clear that the agreement is not at the expense of its neoNATO allies. Now, the significance of the new START is clear in the daylight of coming summer.
Europe has some more fertile soil for enmity. NATO has expanded to new territories: Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia. Three of these countries border Russia. Camp Bondsteel and Camp Monteith in Kosovo are two largest US overseas military bases constructed since the US’ Vietnam War. The entire Balkans region is now virtually a NATO territory. There is the Adriatic-5 Group planned for using the Balkans as a NATO forward base with eyes on the so-called Broader Middle East and the Caucasus. The Istanbul Cooperation Initiative has strengthened NATO position from the Atlantic coast of Africa to the Persian Gulf by increased military cooperation between the Mediterranean Dialogue - Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Mauritania, Morocco, and Tunisia - and the Gulf Cooperation partners.
The cold Arctic is getting hot with the increasing militarization by the US and Russia. China is also silently charting the Arctic depths. With unfolding competition new strategic and tactical positions are being planned there. An arms race between Colombia and Venezuela is gaining momentum.
These incidents with conflicting interests provide a lively backdrop to the START II, and the increasing tension in almost financialized globalization makes the new treaty a mockery with peace.
Farooque Chowdhury, a free lancer from Dhaka, contributes on socio-economic issues.
Micro Credit, myth manufactured is one of his edited books.
The Age of Crisis is his latest book.
