nuclear state
by Matthew Kimball
Published: March 18, 2008
The plight of the human race is at stake. The threat this time is not global warming or a biblical apocalypse; it arises from the technology we use to both create energy to better our lives and build weapons that potentially destroy the lives of others. I am of course talking about nuclear technology and more specifically nuclear weaponry. We currently have enough nuclear weapons on this planet, to destroy the entire biosphere many times over. The discourse on nuclear weaponry can at times seem arbitrary, repetitive and somewhat beyond the grasp of the typical person. This lack of engagement by our citizenry leaves the fate of the world in the hands of a small group of powerful elite.
Usually when we hear politicians discuss the threat posed by nuclear weapons, the blame is placed on so-called “rogue” states like Iran and North Korea. I would argue however, that the most imminent threat of a nuclear disaster comes from the United States itself. According to an April 2004 article by Fred Kaplan for Slate magazine, the Department of Energy spent 6.5 billon dollars on nuclear weapons in 2004 with President Bush requesting an additional 30 billion dollars worth of spending over the next four years. This massive military expenditure ought to alarm the citizenry, considering the fact that we are the only nation to have used nuclear weapons and we continue to flout the requirements of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
War Hawks counter that we need a nuclear deterrent because of the threat posed by rogue states and the terrorists they harbor - a shallow appeal to mankind’s desire for self-preservation. In reality, these claims have a more sinister design - to cultivate fear in voters so that they unquestioningly support the policies of the administration.
The truth is that the promise of protection could not be farther from the truth. Noam Chomsky, in his book Failed States, suggests that the illegal invasion of Iraq may in fact perpetuate nuclear proliferation in surrounding countries, due to our disregard for international law opposing the illegal military occupation. Chomsky also points out that President Bush’s endorsement of India’s nuclear weapons program and the massive amount of military aid being given to nuclear-armed Israel flies in the face of our supposed desire for nuclear non-proliferation.
By asserting its global hegemony through military force and veiled threats of a nuclear holocaust, it would seem that the United States is making the world anything but safer. Perhaps our wasteful military spending could be discontinued if we modified our international policies regarding globalization. I speak specifically of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, whose tactics trick developing nations into insurmountable debt. In turn, these countries are forced to pay for loans they can’t afford. Their social programs, infrastructure and the health of their populations are subsequently put on the back burner. U.S. support for these policies causes an extremely violent reaction around the world. Is it any wonder that so many nations despise our presence? I think a great deal of our nuclear weapons programs is instituted to counteract this inevitable resistance towards our global influence. Nuclear proliferation wouldn’t play such a major role in our global policies if we focused our attention on economic equality and the contributions it makes to social justice.
These are the kind of issues that I wish would be brought up in the public relations industry marketing campaign known as the presidential race. Unfortunately, this subject doesn’t garner many headlines. Though these issues are regularly ignored in presidential debates, they will certainly continue to be humanity’s issue for years to come. If the American public can gain more class-consciousness and start asking the tough questions, perhaps funding for these dangerous programs can be allocated to something like… I don’t know… universal healthcare?
Unfortunately, until that day comes, it’s bombs away.
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