Democratic Palestine : 23 (ص 21)
غرض
- عنوان
- Democratic Palestine : 23 (ص 21)
- المحتوى
-
The US—Israeli Special Relationship
SDI Cooperation
This is the concluding installment of the study on the US-Israeli relationship, as viewed and engineered by
US imperialism. It deals with the Zionist state’s participation in ‘Star Wars’ - the Strategic Defense In-
itiative of the Reagan Administration.
With a world economy that has more of a military cast today
than twenty years ago, the US administration and the military -
industrial complex are looking to further boost the military’s
share in economic activity. This share has already risen from
4.7% in 1960 to 6% in 1985 worldwide, with the US playing no
small part in the increase. Measured in US dollars at their 1984
value, world military expenditures more than doubled during
the same period, from $400 billion to $940 billion - a sum that
exceeds the income of the poorest half of humanity.
No less significant is the 1984 total of arms imports of
underdeveloped countries, which is $35 billion annually - $2
billion more than grain imports. It is no wonder that the US
regards high-tech, military-related industries as a growth sector
of the economy. In 1986, the US faced a deficit in high-
technology trade of more than $ 2 billion according to a study
made by the Joint Economic Committee of Congress. This was
considered disturbing by US officials, since in 1980, the US
had enjoyed a high-tech trade surplus of $27 billion. This
dropped to $4 billion in 1985, and was converted into a $2
billion deficit in 1986. This is mainly in the areas of computers,
aircraft and other military-related products. This drop 1s
mainly due to large research and development costs, a problem
which is to be resolved through the Strategic Defense Initiative,
with the Pentagon bankrolling the project. It is therefore not
surprising that the Zionist entity, the US’s strategic asset,
should follow its partner’s footsteps into the SDI, as was for-
malized in the document signed May 7, 1986.
Through participation in the SDI, the Zionist entity is being
groomed to play a broader role as imperialism’s strategic asset
worldwide, in accordance with imperialism’s drive to expand
its interests,especially in the crucial Middle East area. Enhanc-
ing the military and economic superiority of ‘Israel’ in the
region will enable it to strike at popular liberation movements
and nationalist regimes without fear of retaliation. An even
stronger ‘Israel’ will guarantee the continued subservience of
imperialism’s stooge regimes in the region, especially those
bordering the Zionist entity. This would preserve the stability
necessary for protecting existing imperialist interests in the
region (Gulf oil reserves, exploitation of markets and natural
resources). At the same time, it would hinder the genuine
economic, political and military independence of the Arab
regimes.
All in all, the Zionist entity will be developéd into an even
more menacing military-political club, to be used to push
Camp David to higher levels of implementation. This in turn
leads to a spiraling demand by other countries in the region for
more arms to offset Israeli military superiority. This demand
will naturally feed into the pockets of the imperialist military
industries. The stationing of AWACS in Saudi Arabia, and
Egypt’s increasing military budget, are only two examples of
this spiraling which began with the signing of the Israeli-
Egyptian accord.
The repercussions of Israeli participation in the SDI are not
limited to the Middle East. As SDI partner, ‘Israel’ will more
apparently become a base for the US’s international crusade
against the Soviet Union, other socialist countries and newly
independent nations. The SDI will trigger new, more
sophisticated technology which the US will utilize to reassert its
dominance over its rivals in Japan and Western Europe, while
breathing new life into the troubled US economy.
On‘ the other hand, participation in the SDI will address
some of the problems plaguing the Zionist entity, which im-
perialism has great interests in resolving. It will alleviate the
slump in the Israeli economy and maintain the rigorous
economic reforms implemented under US supervision. Israeli
Defense Minister Rabin stated, «We hope to carry out research
on designs within the framework of SDI in as much as it solves
our problems» - a statement with both economic and military
implications. By strengthening ‘Israel’, participation in the
SDI will better enable it to pursue the ultimate goals of the
Zionist project: full control not only of Palestine, but of the
resources of the whole region.
Partnership in the SDI could also help ‘Israel’ stem the rising
emigration of expert technologists and scientists, by providing
challenging job opportunities and better salaries. ‘Israel’ will
be able to team up with the US and its European allies in
research to develop systems against short-range tactical
ballistic missiles. Alone, the Zionist entity lacks the funds for
developing such systems. Being a partner to the SDI allows
‘Israel’ to share in US research and development (R&D) money
for military technology. An infusion of $50-100 million from
SDI subcontracts, or teaming relations with US corporations,
portends enormous profits for Israeli high-technology and
military firms. The technology transfer involved in such
military research will raise the technological level of the entire
Israeli industrial sector, both civilian and military.
THE MOTIVATION FOR SDI
The Star Wars approach has earlier been evident in the arms
race. Roughly 25 years ago, in an essay titled «Arms Race:
Prerequisites and Results,» Samuel P. Huntington of Harvard
University described the SDI quite precisely: «States may
define absolute qualitative goals, such as the erection of an
impenetrable system of defenses (Maginot Line) or the posses-
sion of an ‘ultimate’ or ‘absolute’ weapon which will render
superfluous further military effort regardless of what other
states may do.» He also predicted the US’s underlying motive:
«The formulation by a state of its armaments goal in absolute
terms is more likely to reflect the desire to obscure from its
rivals the true relative superiority which it wishes to achieve, or
to obscure from itself the need to participate actively in the
balancing process.»
The SDI is the US’s attempt to release itself from any arms
‘control accord which would restrict or hinder attainment of
21 - هو جزء من
- Democratic Palestine : 23
- تاريخ
- أبريل ١٩٨٧
- المنشئ
- الجبهة الشعبية لتحرير فلسطين
Contribute
Not viewed