Spring Break
Unbalanced: The new nuclear arms race
By: Matt Schirano
Issue date: 6/8/07 Section: Ed-Op
Originally published: 6/8/07 at 4:07 AM EST
Last update: 6/8/07 at 4:07 AM EST
Originally published: 6/8/07 at 4:07 AM EST
Last update: 6/8/07 at 4:07 AM EST
- Page 1 of 3 next >
Remember at the end of Batman Begins (probably not) when Police Commissioner Jim Gordon asks Batman about escalation?
"We get semi-automatic weapons, they get automatics. We get Kevlar body armor, they get armor-piercing rounds. And you're wearing a mask and jumping off rooftops!"
While the movie is about the caped crusader, a pioneer for the good and defenseless, escalation is very relevant in today's global political scene. The United States is Batman, but less helpful and more self-serving. But we do have a witty sidekick in Tony Blair. "Calamitous clerics, Bushman! It's Muqtada al-Sadr!"
Recently, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the successful test of a new ballistic missile that can be strapped with 10 warheads and is supposedly able to evade anti-missile defense systems. What a coincidence, the United States has been pushing for a ballistic missile defense system in the Czech Republic for quite some time now.
Putin accused the U.S. of starting a new arms race (read: escalation). The new missile, which traveled 3,400 miles during its test (Russia is huge), is merely a response to the security threat a potential U.S. missile base in the Czech Republic creates for them.
The U.S. claims that the missile base is meant to guard Central Europe against threats such as Iran or North Korea. The missiles will not point towards Russia. I believe that, but if the missile defense shield were incapable of aiming anywhere else, it would be such a piss-poor design that even the dirtiest hippy would sneer in disgust. You can see where Russia is coming from on this one; defense against Iran and North Korea today is offense against Russia tomorrow.
Let us not forget that Russia has been sketchy of late. Besides this whopper, they've also been helping Iran fuel their nuclear program in spite of U.S. and, more recently, U.N. sanctions. We don't know if their nuclear development is for domestic or military purposes, but the evasiveness of Tehran in divulging any details, coupled with their repeated efforts to supply insurgents in Iraq with weapons, doesn't bode well for peaceful intentions.
"We get semi-automatic weapons, they get automatics. We get Kevlar body armor, they get armor-piercing rounds. And you're wearing a mask and jumping off rooftops!"
While the movie is about the caped crusader, a pioneer for the good and defenseless, escalation is very relevant in today's global political scene. The United States is Batman, but less helpful and more self-serving. But we do have a witty sidekick in Tony Blair. "Calamitous clerics, Bushman! It's Muqtada al-Sadr!"
Recently, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the successful test of a new ballistic missile that can be strapped with 10 warheads and is supposedly able to evade anti-missile defense systems. What a coincidence, the United States has been pushing for a ballistic missile defense system in the Czech Republic for quite some time now.
Putin accused the U.S. of starting a new arms race (read: escalation). The new missile, which traveled 3,400 miles during its test (Russia is huge), is merely a response to the security threat a potential U.S. missile base in the Czech Republic creates for them.
The U.S. claims that the missile base is meant to guard Central Europe against threats such as Iran or North Korea. The missiles will not point towards Russia. I believe that, but if the missile defense shield were incapable of aiming anywhere else, it would be such a piss-poor design that even the dirtiest hippy would sneer in disgust. You can see where Russia is coming from on this one; defense against Iran and North Korea today is offense against Russia tomorrow.
Let us not forget that Russia has been sketchy of late. Besides this whopper, they've also been helping Iran fuel their nuclear program in spite of U.S. and, more recently, U.N. sanctions. We don't know if their nuclear development is for domestic or military purposes, but the evasiveness of Tehran in divulging any details, coupled with their repeated efforts to supply insurgents in Iraq with weapons, doesn't bode well for peaceful intentions.
