Democratic Palestine : 9 (ص 31)
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- Democratic Palestine : 9 (ص 31)
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Star Wars Block Disarmament
They speak of defense but prepare for
attack; they advertise a space shield
but forge a space sword. Washington is
staking all on force and does not try to
conceal it. It hopes to gain a prevailing
force that would subordinate the world
to America. There, diplomacy and
negotiations are literally subordinate to
missiles and bombers.
With these words Soviet leader
Mikhael Gorbachev aptly described US
imperialism’s aggressive strategy. His
words also explain why no progress was
made in the Geneva disarmament talks
which ended April 23rd.
In line with its consistent practice of
peaceful coexistence, the Soviet Union
had clearly stated aims at Geneva: Chief
among them was preventing the militari-
zation of space, as well as general arms
reduction, especially of nuclear wea-
pons. In contrast, the US wanted the
Geneva talks as a forum for pressuring
the Soviet Union, while at the same time
appearing to be for peace. The Reagan
Administration hoped that brandishing
the «Strategic Defense Initiative» for
space weaponry would scare the
Soviets into compromising their defense
capacities. This would give the US a free
hand to use its nuclear might to threaten
not only the Soviet Union but progres-
sive forces around the world. However,
this aim floundered on Soviet determina-
tion to protect the gains of socialism and
counter imperialism’s global aggres-
sion. In the face of US insistence on
embarking on Star Wars, Comrade Gor-
bachev made it clear that the needed
countermeasures would be taken.
The other, related aim of the
Reagan Administration was rallying the
American public and its European allies
around its military drive. Without
scruples, the Reagan Administration
used the Geneva talks for pushing its
inflated military budget proposals. The
US Congress complied, approving fund-
ing for MX missiles in the name of «na-
tional unity» in the face of the Soviets. In
the words of a prominent Senator, «The
MX may not be a perfect weapon sys-
tem, but it will make the job easier for US
arms negotiators.» As the Geneva talks
were concluding, the Pentagon pub-
lished a paper, falsely claiming that the
Soviet Union is already advancing in
Space weapons, and showing how the
US could test space weapons without
violating the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty
(sic). This is the start of a notorious cam-
paign to push Reagan’s proposal for
spending $30 billion on Star Wars
research over the next five years, as the
first installment of overall research
costs, estimated at $100 billion; after-
wards the systems will be built and
deployed for additional billions. Through
its space shuttles, the US has already
embarked on relevant research; the
Comrade Gorbachev's assuming leadership
confirmed the Soviet Union's consistent policy and
strength.
claim of Soviet space weapons research
is an obvious cover-up for de facto US
initiation of weapons in space.
The US fared less well in rallying its
allies to Star Wars. Though the defense
ministers of the NATO countries wel-
comed the invitation to join space
weaponry research, prominent Euro-
pean politicians have expressed serious
doubts, and some allies have declined. It
is interesting to note that ‘Israel’ was
among those invited to participate.
Prime Minister Peres is positive on the
idea, and the major Israeli technological
institute supports participation. In view
of existing nuclear and other military
cooperation, Israeli participation could
provide the link for indirectly including
apartheid South Africa in imperialism’s
latest deadly project. In any case, the
Reagan Administration can be expected
ta mount a massive arm-twisting man-
euver to rally its allies around Star Wars
before the Geneva talks resume in early
June. This in itself sets. the agenda for
the peace movement in the immediate
future, and many are already in action.
Though the Geneva talks signify no
breakthrough in disarmament due to US
blockage, they do contain lessons which
can add to the experience of the peace
movement. The importance which
Reagan attaches to space weapon
research should be clue to all. Intro-
ducing even the idea of weapons in
space is a qualitative upping of the ante
in imperialism’s nuclear blackmail. Rea-
gan’s claim that a space system could
constitute a defense, rendering nuclear
weapons obsolete, is only for selling the
project to the public. Even US experts
have warned that such a system could
serve several major offensive purposes,
including enabling a nuclear first strike.
Star Wars is the advanced step in US
imperialism’s renewed quest to achieve
unchallenged nuclear superiority.
George Keyworth, Reagan's science
adviser, said outright that the new ‘de-
fense’ system aimed to make «the
Soviet (weapons) fleet...obsolete» (as
quoted in Frontline, April 1st).
This spiraling of the arms race
means that protest cannot be limited toa
single type of weapon, but must be
grounded in principle understanding as
to the source of the militaristic drive and
its logical consequences. The Geneva
arms talks, like events in Nicaragua, El
Salvador, Lebanon, Palestine and
South Africa, show that it is US
imperialism constantly fueling aggres-
sion, supporting reactionary forces
against the people and imperiling world
peace. Moreover, the outrageous costs
of Star Wars give anti-imperialists the
chance to emphasize the class and
racist base of the US war drive. It is
working people and oppressed mi-
norities who are forced to pay dispropor-
tionately for Reagan’s war machine, to
be directed against their brothers and
sisters around the globe. @
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