Pengumuman panganyarna ku pamaréntah Britania nu rencanana a Kanaékan 40 persen dina jumlah pakarang nuklir anu dipibanda nyorot kana paningkatan balapan senjata nuklir anu bahaya pisan sareng mahal.
Sanggeus sababaraha dekade kamajuan dina ngurangan arsenals nuklir ngaliwatan kontrol leungeun jeung pasatujuan pangarampasan pakarang, sakabeh kakuatan nuklir are once again busily upgrading their nuclear weapons capabilities. For several years, the Pamarentah AS has been engaged in a massive nuclear “modernization” program, designed to refurbish its production facilities, enhance existing weapons, and build new ones. The Russian government, too, is investing heavily in beefing up its nuclear forces, and in July 2020, President Vladimir Putin ngumumkeun yén angkatan laut Rusia bakal geura-giru jadi pakarang nuklir hipersonik jeung drones nuklir jero cai. Samentara éta, Cina, India, Pakistan, sarta Koréa Utara anu ngembangna ukuran arsenals nuklir maranéhna, bari Israél keur ngawangun anyar, fasilitas pakarang nuklir rusiah sarta Perancis ngamodernisasi misil balistikna, misil pesiar, sareng kapal selam pembawa misil.
buildup nuklir ieu coincides jeung scrapping kontrol pakarang nuklir konci jeung pasatujuan pangarampasan pakarang, kaasup Traktat Angkatan Nuklir Jangkauan Menengah, pasatujuan nuklir Iran, jeung Traktat Open Skies.
Like arms races of the past, the reviving nuclear arms race places the world in immense danger, for when nations engage in military conflict, they are inclined to use the most powerful weapons they have available. How long will it be before a nuclear-armed, aggressive government—or merely one threatened with military defeat or humiliation—resorts to nuclear war?
In addition to creating an enormous danger, a nuclear arms race also comes with a huge financial price—in this case, in the trillions of dollars. Military analysts have estimated that the U.S. government’s nuclear “modernization” program alone will cost about $ 1.5 triliun.
Of course, the nuclear arms control and disarmament process is not dead—at least not yet. One of U.S. President Joseph Biden’s first actions after taking office was to offer to manjangkeun Perjangjian Mimitian Anyar AS-Rusia, which significantly limits the number of U.S. and Russian strategic nuclear weapons. And the Russian government quickly accepted. In addition, efforts are underway to mulangkeun perjanjian nuklir Iran. Most dramatically, the UN Perjangjian dina Larangan pakarang nuklir, anu diadopsi ku 122 nagara dina 2017, ngamankeun ratifikasi anu cukup pikeun janten hukum internasional in January 2021. The provisions of this landmark agreement, if adhered to, would create a nuclear weapons-free world.
Sanaos kitu, nalika ngabébaskeun dunya tina bahaya karusakan nuklir, kaayaan éta henteu ngajangjikeun. Euweuh sahiji kakuatan nuklir has signed the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. And without their participation, a nuclear-free world will remain an aspiration rather than a reality. In fact, bangsa nuklir pangkuatna remain in a state of high tension with one another, which only enhances the possibility of nuclear war. Assessing the situation at the beginning of 2020 and 2021, a panel appointed by the editors of the Bulletin tina atom Ilmuwan ditempatkeun leungeun maranéhna kawentar "Kiamat Jam" di 100 detik ka tengah wengi, setting paling bahaya dina sajarah na.
As a result, a fateful choice lies before the nuclear powers. They can plunge ahead with their nuclear arms race and face the terrible consequences. Or they can take the path of sanity in the nuclear age and join other nations in building a nuclear weapons-free world.
Dr Lawrence Wittner, Syndicated ku PeaceVoice, nyaéta Profesor Sejarah emeritus di SUNY / Albany sareng panulis Confronting Bom (Stanford Universitas Pencét).
ZNetwork dibiayaan ngan ukur ku kabébasan pamiarsana.
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