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US defense secretary expands pre-emptive war doctrine to include nuclear strikes
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Alex Lantier
WSWS
October 31, 2008
In a remarkable speech on nuclear policy delivered October 28 at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (CEIP), US Defense Secretary Robert Gates painted a dire portrait of international affairs and argued that Washington should expand the doctrine of pre-emptive war formulated by the Bush administration to include possible nuclear strikes.
It is widely rumored that, in the likely event that Democrat Barack Obama wins next week’s US presidential election, Obama will keep Gates as defense secretary. Gates’ speech, given in the waning days of the Bush presidency, has the character of a policy declaration of the next US administration.
Gates began by making extended and ominous parallels between the world situation today and that which prevailed at the founding of the Carnegie Institute in 1910, four years before the outbreak of World War I. At the time, he noted, Wall Street was passing through the panic of 1910-1911 and facing a credit crisis, the US had recently put down an insurgency in the Philippines at a cost of 4,200 American lives, comparable to today’s US death toll in Iraq, and “Europe was arming itself to the teeth and forming a series of alliances whose implications were obvious to anyone who cared to look.”
Gates argued that the pacifist illusions promoted by CEIP founder Andrew Carnegie—a US steel magnate at the turn of the 20th century, most famous in the working class movement for the brutal suppression of the 1892 Homestead strike against his company—— should not deter Washington from planning broader war.
He noted, “In August of 1913, Carnegie said that ‘the only measure required today for the maintenance of world peace is an agreement between three or four of the leading civilized powers… pledged to cooperate against disturbers of world peace.’” Gates pointed out that, writing four years later to President Woodrow Wilson, who had been elected in 1916 on a platform of keeping the US out of the world war, “the same Andrew Carnegie encouraged the president in the strongest terms to declare war, because, he wrote, ‘There is only one straight way of settlement.’”
Turning to US nuclear policy, Gates said, “As long as others have nuclear weapons, we must maintain some level of these weapons ourselves: to deter potential adversaries, and to reassure over two dozen allies and partners who rely on our nuclear umbrella for their security—making it unnecessary for them to develop their own.”
This comment gives a sense of the highly tense and unstable character of international relations, and the paranoia of US officials. Gates’ fears about the spread of nuclear weapons are not limited to existing programs of “potential adversaries,” among which Gates included “rogue states such as North Korea and Iran, or Russian or Chinese strategic modernization programs.” His fears extend to the nuclear policy of all states, including current US allies.
Gates later repeated this point: “We simply cannot predict the future. [...] our adversaries and other nations will always seek whatever advantages they can find. Knowing that, we have to be prepared for contingencies we haven’t even considered.”
Gates’ list of US-friendly states that have chosen not to develop nuclear weapons was significant: South Korea, Taiwan, Brazil, Argentina, South Africa, and Libya. Two of the most obvious such countries—ex-World War II enemies Japan and Germany—were not included. Gates did not explain what political factors induced him to omit them.
Gates then issued a remarkable threat: “As long as other states have or seek nuclear weapons—and can potentially threaten us, our allies and friends—then we must have a deterrent capacity that makes it clear that challenging the US in the nuclear arena—or with other weapons of mass destruction—could result in an overwhelming, catastrophic response.
According to Gates, the US must be able to credibly threaten a nuclear holocaust against any state that “challenges” the US in the nuclear arena or with other “weapons of mass destruction.” By his own words, such a challenge does not require a nation to threaten to attack the US. It does not even require that a nation possess nuclear weapons or other WMD. It is enough for a nation merely to “seek” such weapons for it to become a potential target for a preemptive “overwhelming, catastrophic response” from the United States.
Such a doctrine has immense implications not only for US nuclear weapons programs, but for the totality of US foreign policy. It stipulates that every foreign power in the world must believe that attempting to develop nuclear weapons invites US nuclear attack. Thus, the US would arguably be obliged to attack with nuclear weapons countries which it accused of developing nuclear weapons—such as Iran and North Korea—lest the rest of the world conclude that the US will not carry out its threats.
Gates is filling out the Bush doctrine of pre-emptive war—announced in advance of the unprovoked invasion of Iraq based on lies about supposed Iraqi weapons of mass destruction—with the proviso that a US first-strike can involve the large-scale use of nuclear weapons.
In his speech, he called for a substantial increase in nuclear weapons spending, including the possible resumption of nuclear weapons testing. “There is absolutely no way we can maintain a credible deterrent and reduce the number of weapons in our stockpile without either resorting to testing our stockpile or pursuing a modernization program,” he declared.
Citing a “bleak” prognosis for overcoming technical and staffing problems of US strategic nuclear weapons programs, Gates explained that his policies involved the largest and most powerful US weapons: “The program we propose is not about new capabilities—suitcase bombs or bunker-busters or tactical nukes. [...] It is about the future credibility of our strategic deterrent.”
Gates also addressed concerns about the command structure of the US Air Force’s nuclear forces, sparked by his June 5 sackings of several top Air Force officials after it was discovered that US nuclear missile parts had been shipped to Taiwan. At the time, the World Socialist Web Site raised the question of whether the shipment to Taiwan had been part of an unofficial foreign policy carried out by rogue sections of the US military. However, the bourgeois press accepted official explanations that this had been a simple technical oversight.
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October 31st, 2008 at 3:21 pm
http://www.publiceye.org/consp.....serve.html
someone explain what the correct interpretation of the fed is, I’m confused and off topic, thanks.
October 31st, 2008 at 4:34 pm
Then all countries should adapt the pre-emptive attack idea and all attack the USA at the same time in a pre emptive act of self defence against the current scum in power.
Lets face it..,the scum up there is way to dangerous …
Any idiot can see they use their war machine for economical gain.
And the mistake of ignoring them could become clear in the form of a mushroom cloud…
So lets go and nuke this menace.
Sounds logic not?
October 31st, 2008 at 4:37 pm
This is terrible. America sounds more like a dangerous rouge state than who we constantly accuse others of just that. (like Iran and North Korea)
We’re going straight back into Cold War thinking.
October 31st, 2008 at 5:27 pm
This is right in line with the sixth trumpet of Revelation…
A war which will start at the Euphrates River will kill 1/3 of the world population (approx 2 BILLION people)
By the way….Iraq and Syria are right on the Euphrates. That’s where most of our troops are now.
And that town that the US attacked is on the coast of the Euphrates.
Prophecy IS being fulfilled – no matter how you look at it.
By the way….the other 5 trumpets have been fulfilled…. for instance….the Russian word for “Wormwood” is….CHERNOBYL.
Something to think about, yeah?
October 31st, 2008 at 5:28 pm
I wonder what Washington would do if everybody in the United States got on SSI?
October 31st, 2008 at 5:58 pm
Maybe Pakistan?
I think they have nukes, but their arsenal is not big so maybe not directly US vs Pakistan, but India vs Pakistan with USA and probably NATO on India side and middle east countries, or even with Russia on Pakistan side?
China as a third side with support for Nort Korea and Japan supporting South Korea.
So localy nukes would be used but it would be almost unsignificant in mater of whole world and rest of the Nuclear Powers will keep their nukes in their pants…
EU and even Australia would have been dragged into this coz OPEC countries would be the enemy, so it will be needed to conquer and control oilfields to maintain economies (transport, production, etc…). So:
- Global war
- No nukes
- Conflict off the EU, US, Russia and China territory
What do You think about that war scenario?
October 31st, 2008 at 6:04 pm
if these senial old cunts nuke anyone,
i dont think there will be a single safe hiding place for them and members of there families
people will just start taking potshots at them on the way to the office or when their family are out shopping.
and as far as im concearned it about time! some of these old cunts started to live in fear for their lives, after the countless deaths they have caused in the name of profit.
KILL EM ALL I SAY!
build a big oven and throw the lot of them into it alive.
October 31st, 2008 at 6:17 pm
Russia and China both have agreements with Iran. I suspect that we (the United States government) will escalate the war, probably with Iran. Both Obama and McCain have shown an interest in attacking Iran. This will draw both China and Russia into the conflict. Russia has stated already that it has no problem using nuclear missiles to defend its allies should the United States attack any of them.
October 31st, 2008 at 6:18 pm
Just what kind of dope are these fucks on.
October 31st, 2008 at 7:19 pm
Ron Paul actually said that there’s a bill in congress that will allow the president to engage pre-emtive with nuclear weapons. The President him self will be allowed to make that decision.
The more threats goin’ on around the world, we see more executive powers and ultimately that will lead us to a police state. Freedom is on the verge of collapse, unless we don’t stop the New World Order.
October 31st, 2008 at 8:31 pm
Well, Barack Obama did say recently that NO options are off the table for dealing with Iran.
October 31st, 2008 at 11:01 pm
http://www.ki4u.com/
Great info on surviving a nuclear attack. Send this to everyone you know.
November 1st, 2008 at 9:05 am
the rest of the world must understand our level of determination , our intention to remain resolute , this is america the shining beacon of freedom on earth , with a big bulls eye on our back in perpetuity , you peace loving pacifists have either not studied history or are unable to learn from it , peace is fought for and earned at the end of a weapon , the more effective the weapon the more peace is earned , there are dreams and there is reality
November 1st, 2008 at 12:09 pm
”this is america the shining beacon of freedom on earth ”
ROFL
November 1st, 2008 at 2:40 pm
can they just nuke us and get it over with already? I’m tired of this. It’s painful to sit, watch and wait for our impending deaths.
November 1st, 2008 at 2:42 pm
#10 NO, THEY ARE NOT ALL JEWS.
Illuminati are from ALL RELIGIONS – GET THAT THROUGH YOU’RE FRIGGIN’ HEADS.
I am an active member of WE ARE CHANGE – I am Jewish. \
So how can you make blanket statements like this that “the Jews” are doing all this?
There are as many Christians in the New World Order but you don’t see me saying “IT’S THE CHRISTIANS”
Stop your hate and your divisiveness already – that’s exactly what the NWO Illuminati want!
November 1st, 2008 at 3:05 pm
#17, that guy who says it’s “all the Jews” probably works for the ADL. When they aren’t spraying swastikas on synagogues, they go on the internet and “attack Jews” so that they can scare up some donations.
November 1st, 2008 at 7:15 pm
I don’t believe Gates that these new initiatives aren’t about new technology, “bunker busters”, mini nukes, ect. The original developement of nukes was done in total secrecy, it’s stupid to believe they would publicize the developement of this revolutionary nuclear weapons technology. Imagine the possible uses of mini nukes in the hands of terrorists, and it is the terrorists that are likely developing them. Pre-emptive nuclear warfare would almost in any circumstance start a major global conflict that would be undesirable even for the ruling elite, unless it were done on a somewhat smaller scale than the Hiroshima’s of the past.
Good article.
November 1st, 2008 at 7:51 pm
Sounds like “Magog’s” servants (the NWO) just can’t keep up with his demands for more human sacrifices. Gates, being a good servant, has now hatched a plan that could meet that demand. The slaughtering of innocents in Iraq and Afghanistan, and elsewhere, barely serve to wet his appetite. Taking this into consideration, Gates has cooked up a devilish scheme that could allow him to serve up the feast of feasts to ol’ Magog. Yep, you guessed it. One he hasn’t had since the end of WW 2. That’s right, a nuclear holocaust! Yum, yum, yum! Bon apetit, Magog (You lucky devil!)! All! I almost forgot! Can you guess who’s about to become new top chef in the NWO kitchen? You guessed it! It’s BOBBY GATES!!! And with the recipes he plans to cook up …no wonder!
November 1st, 2008 at 10:50 pm
The big problem with complacency in America is if our government becomes a full dictatorship and attacks Iran and we do nothing we are basically going to be at the mercy of nukes ourselves from the rest of the world. Ask yourself what you are willing to fight and die for? If it’s just for self perservance and loved ones then that’s the only government you deserve.
November 2nd, 2008 at 12:11 am
Dear “earl”, Wake up and smell all the dead, decomposing (innocent) bodies! The USA’s NWO- owned-and-controlled “war machine” is chewing them up, and spitting them out all over the globe. They are doing this to serve their own selfish interests. They’re not doing it to preserve your freedom! And someday soon they’ll chew you up and spit you out, too. Because they’re wearing American uniforms and flying American flags when they invade other nations, and murder their people, and steal their land and resources, it doesn’t make them freedom fighters! And when your sitting back in your recliner at home, and watching them do it on the news, and foolishly cheering them on, you are one of the many enabling low-life, ignorant, gutless, heartless, cowardly scumbags who are just as GUILTY as they are because you didn’t do anything to try to stop them. Your dumb ass supported their actions. You cheered them on! I just wonder who’ll be cheering them on when they do the same thing to you. You won’t! And that for damned sure! Talk about an airhead who needs a history lesson! Your it, pal. Our nation is being transformed into a modernized version of Hitler’s Germany. And just like Hitler’s Germany, the people of this nation won’t wake up to realize it until it’ too late. Too late to stop or reverse it. And we owe it all to people just like you, Earl! Just wait until the NWO gives you a taste of “their reality”, Earl! Bet you’ll start crying a different tune then, Earl! (And please don’t post me back and try to tell me your a history professor I won’t beleive you!)
November 2nd, 2008 at 12:18 am
The American people do not in any way shape or form want to be the aggressor in any nuclear war. This is pearly the doctrine of the current ROUGE government in the USA. This has got to stop NOW. When people start talking like that then there’s not much time left.
November 2nd, 2008 at 12:29 am
Does anyone else think that all these government spooks seem to be more paranoid than a crack head at a narc. convention? Are they doing their own dope? If these people really believe the bullshit they preach then I know we should be arresting them in mass and soon. The inmates truly are running the asylum.
November 2nd, 2008 at 12:45 am
texas patriot #26-
No they don’t beleive their own threats. That is not important. What is important to them is getting OTHER PEOPLE to swallow their line of threats for future budget considerations…
Fear and responsibility scare the living shit out of the average US citizen since the LBJ welafer wolrd grew out of the “Great Society”….
All they are doing is justifying their jobs and doing so by fear and scare tactics to get people to swallow their lines so as to get … yepper… Mooooooo munny.
November 2nd, 2008 at 3:11 am
Gates is insane.
~~~ Chuck S
November 2nd, 2008 at 3:44 am
Robert Gates is insane.
~~~ Chuck S
November 2nd, 2008 at 3:46 am
I wish they would fix and upgrade these servers. It took about 15 to 20 minutes for my first post to show up which is why there are 2 nearly identical posts.
Hey Paul !! Get some more bandwith !!!
Peace – Chuck S
November 2nd, 2008 at 5:31 am
robert gates is insane. and you wonder what lunatic did 9/11? robert gates is the poster child.
November 2nd, 2008 at 6:28 am
Zionists are servants of the Antichrist leader who will rule from ISRAEL.
He will be the long awaited Messiah of the Israelites.
We know one thing for sure……… GOD says they are on the side of EVIL.
November 2nd, 2008 at 9:33 am
Does anyone see the irony here?
Carnegie Endowment for International PEACE arguing a case for pre-emptive (read: aggressive) nuclear WAR…
November 2nd, 2008 at 10:39 am
It’s amazing how the world trusts the US with nukes when they are the only country to have ever used nuclear weapons on another nation….
November 2nd, 2008 at 3:04 pm
this is sick and quite insane. i am embarrassed to be in america.
November 2nd, 2008 at 7:57 pm
One must struggle. life is a test. The spirit of man will be tested,
challenged so that man can conquer. The warrior spirit in triumph, in
victory will be known. Nothing could destroy it, nothing could defeat it.
This is the power of god. This is the greatness of his glory. The conquering
against all adversities, the conquering against all that is evil.
For it will try to destroy mans soul, but in end the spirit of god
This is his glory. The end result is love. Not only a emotion
but something greater. It holds a meaning that gives purpose.
It is all things.The end result. The one power that stands beyong all that is.
It became indestructable.
Nothing could destroy it. This is his glory.Nothing could defeat
it. Nothing.That is greatness.
November 2nd, 2008 at 10:19 pm
Earl!
did yer daddy not love ya
or yer mawmy
was respect demanded of you
not earned
have you fought in wars
have you killed
men women children?
is that why you support murder and death so you can drive a fat ass SUV on cheap gas earned at the end of a gun
it must be
otherwise the truth would be too painful for you to contemplate
wouldn’t it?
November 3rd, 2008 at 11:31 am
The theory that the modern atomic bomb explosions can annihilate the world is childish imagination.First of all, the atomic energy is not powerful enough to destroy the world. And secondly, ultimately it all rests on the supreme will of the Supreme Lord because without His will or sanction nothing can be built up or destroyed. It is foolish also to think that natural laws are ultimately powerful.
November 3rd, 2008 at 11:59 am
Question: Where in the Constitution does it allow for “preemptive (offensive) war” against any Country? It isn’t there, people? This is another scam being perpetrated by the Traitor and Chief and his administration. What part of “ONLY CONGRESS CAN DECLARE WAR” don’t you understand? Wow, GW Bush is really making Hitler proud today, isn’t he? Hopefully he will get his Nuremberg trail (before he is executed) as well!
November 3rd, 2008 at 12:33 pm
It is go time folks. See above site for urgent international news not being reported in the US. Prevent panic or prevent preparation??????????This is the march to the new world order and on the way is the north american union, rescue money amero and martial law just for kicks and giggles. Google those, wake up and warn our people. Love to all and message to you elite/illuminati/moneychanger demons. Game is up creeps. The maaad sheep are waking up with a chemtrail headache and are very aaaangry. Until the day PENTECOST 2012, you know the location. Regards from Michael and Gabrielle. the remnant of Yahwey..
November 3rd, 2008 at 3:08 pm
To “Earl” #14—-”Once more the Sith will rule the galaxy…..and…we shall have peace”
Over your head….
November 3rd, 2008 at 3:36 pm
POST 29 you better wake up for the bible says that though many JEWS will remain blinded, All Israel shall be saved (Romans 11:26)
Romans 11:28 As concerning the gospel, [they are] enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, [they are] beloved for the fathers’ sakes.
Most will turn and be saved through Jesus christ our Lord. AND WE WILL BE JUDGED ON HOW WE TREAT ISRAEL AND GOD’S CHOSEN PEOPLE THE JEWS
I pray that you all get over this lie that the Jews are responsible for all the evils of this world. That is a burden that belongs to every single one of us
November 3rd, 2008 at 3:37 pm
Bush PDO signed 1st strike nukes into law day one in 2000. Gates is just leaking this out as reminder that was a good thing and Congress needs to support Bush’s secret order already in place.
What would Jesus nuke first ?
November 3rd, 2008 at 4:58 pm
peace is just a nice way of saying slaves lets make em use those nukes then the rich can learn to work again. I dont think they would make it!!!
November 3rd, 2008 at 9:25 pm
The only country dumb enough to use a nuclear weapon on a country is the US. So what makes you think they won’t use it again. They are also a country who has done the most false flag attacks, last one was 9/11. I wouldn’t be surprised if the united states of neocons use a nuke against themselves as the false flag attack and then blame it on china or iran. elections will be igged again and mcrage will win.
November 4th, 2008 at 4:45 am
just go shop america the rich will protect you’se.lol,not!
November 4th, 2008 at 7:54 am
The Hypocrisy of the Bush Administration is beyond comprehension. We want to kill all other countries that have nukes and Gates is willing to nuke a country of his choice at will. Now who is to say that China or Russia doesn’t follow suit and preemptively nuke the US. After all, we have been nuking countries with Depleted Uranium for years.
November 4th, 2008 at 11:31 am
Vote for Ron Paul….Time Magazines man of the year. go NOW!! Before they pull the video..NOW!!!
check out the comments…AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bm94D1TqYwQ
November 4th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
This is scary. We need to pass legislation prohibiting nuclear first strikes or wmd first strikes of any kind. I thought Japan had done something similar after the war. It’s in their consitution if I’m not mistaken. That would be a good way to get the sheeple to focus on the U.S. Constitution and its importance. Who wouldn’t get behind a constitutional amendment forbidding first strikes with wmd’s? Of course we would ask the Russsians, the Chinese, the RED COATS, and any other nation to enact similar provisions in their constitutions. This would be the perfect issue for all people to rally around, which we could parlay into a rally around a 9/11 investigation. I believe that really is the key to stopping all of this madness. Everything spiraled out of control after 9/11. Proving it was an inside job would justify unwinding everything enacted since. It’s the only way to roll EVERYTHING back.
November 4th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
Gates would, of course, nuke countries which have no ICBM, cruise missiles, and whose military consists of long bow men, and crew served weapons are a variety of catapults. I’m so sick of the chicken hawks – - – “We’re going to WAR!!!!! Follow THOSE GUYS!!!!!. Besides, we’ve already nuked half the middle east, part of central europe and the northeast US with depleted uranium, and leave us not forget Arghanistan, Lebanon and Syria (via our favorite leech, Israel). Ron Paul is nearly the only politician, State, local, federal, whatever, that I would really miss in the event that DU particles wipe out all human life in the US; the DU, of course, that’s airborne from bombing and artillery ranges all over the country, and it has a lethal half life further forward than the emergence of air breathing critters is behind us.