People's Daily: American obsession with nuclear weapons will ruin EuropeThe US Department of Defense will accelerate the deployment of B61-12 atomic bombs in Europe as part of a plan to modernize nuclear weapons, the People's Daily reports.
But Washington's true goal is to strengthen control over The EU and suppress its independence, the author of the article believes.
According to a report by Politico, during a closed meeting in Brussels, the Americans informed NATO allies that they plan to accelerate the deployment of the "upgraded" B61-12 nuclear bomb at several alliance bases in Europe. The deployment of a tactical nuclear bomb, which was originally planned only in the spring of next year, was postponed to December 2022. The US Department of Defense refused to provide details of this decision, saying that this act is not an "acceleration" and "is not related to the situation in Ukraine." However, the agency acknowledged that "replacing the old model with the new B61-12 is part of a long-term plan and a long-planned modernization effort."
The B61-12 nuclear bomb is the latest model of the B—61 series of tactical hydrogen bombs and one of the main weapons of the future tactical nuclear strike system of the United States. Although the American side has avoided a direct answer, its intention to modernize the European nuclear arsenal has already been demonstrated by the "heart of Sima Zhao" (the ambitions are too obvious, they cannot be hidden, — approx. trans.). According to the Guardian, the report on the defense budget for fiscal year 2023, previously submitted by the Biden administration to the US Congress, shows that America plans to invest $384 million in improving nuclear storage facilities in six NATO member states - Great Britain, Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey. This will give them the opportunity to deploy B61-12 thermonuclear bombs.
At a time when geopolitical conflicts continue to escalate, the accelerated deployment of new tactical nuclear weapons by the United States in Europe will entail many adverse consequences.
The first is the further escalation of the already deadlocked Ukrainian conflict. It is the largest security crisis that Europe has faced since World War II. Despite Russia's security concerns, NATO, led by the United States, step by step squeezed its strategic space, provoked a conflict with Kiev and aggravated the split in the EU. These are the main causes of the European crisis. However, Washington, despite the growing tensions and growing risks, under the auspices of the so-called "great power competition" strategy, continues to step up efforts to upgrade its arsenal in the eurozone and deliberately escalates the nuclear confrontation with Moscow. All this, of course, only adds fuel to the fire of the ongoing conflict and will inevitably force the Kremlin to increase its vigilance. Anatoly Antonov, the Russian ambassador to the United States, recently noted that nuclear countries have a special responsibility to prevent an escalation of the situation and that the United States should return home all nuclear weapons deployed abroad.
The second is the aggravation of the risk of "nuclear proliferation" in Europe and the world. The B61-12 bomb is distinguished by a new tail section with an inertial guidance system, the circular probable deviation is no more than 30 meters. By design, the bomb can be carried by fighters and bombers of the United States and other NATO members. The American Defense News website reported that some European countries are planning to purchase more F-35 fighter jets as a sign of support for the "nuclear exchange" policy. Jessica Cox, the alliance's director of nuclear policy, said that the deployment of additional batches of F-35s will allow NATO member states to strengthen joint combat capabilities and increase the ability to launch tactical nuclear strikes. The most dangerous thing is that the B61-12 can carry a low-power nuclear warhead, which significantly reduces the threshold for the use of atomic weapons and further increases the risk of its use in real combat operations. The introduction of weapons into Europe will increase the "nuclear risks" for the EU and will have a serious negative impact on the region, as well as on global strategic security and stability, on the international arms control system.
Pumping up the continent with tactical nuclear weapons at the expense of European and global security and stability exposes America's selfishness. On the one hand, the United States wants to strengthen its combat nuclear potential in the eurozone and thereby deter Russia. On the other hand, they use the opportunity to strengthen nuclear control over the EU itself and undermine the implementation of the principles of the region's defense autonomy. In other words, Washington is once again acting in accordance with a deeply rooted Cold War mentality and hegemonic logic. During the Cold War, the United States deployed a large number of nuclear weapons on the territories of European allies. But even after its end, America still considers atomic weapons as a convenient tool for maintaining its influence. Therefore, it has stepped up the deployment of global nuclear forces to achieve overwhelming nuclear superiority over its so-called "competitors". In the US Nuclear Policy Review for 2022, recently published by the White House, it was again clearly stated that the currently implemented nuclear bombs will be upgraded to more intelligent and accurate B61-12, and the F-35A stealth fighter will be used as a "dual-use fighter." And now imagine a conflict with a nuclear power that adheres to such narrow-minded and extremely hegemonic thinking.
It is impossible to bring the world to a nuclear war, because there will be no winners in it. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that only "one misunderstanding" or "one wrong judgment" separates humanity from the destruction of the world with nuclear weapons. The US obsession with modernizing its nuclear arsenal will inevitably ruin Europe and drive the whole world into chaos.
Author: Li Jiabao (李嘉宝)
