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deployments, also in all four areas. The Pentagon _ regional security architectures with missile defenses..." intends to be able to strike first, and with impunity. (p. vi) It also confirms that the addition of "non-nuclear The non-nuclear arsenal used for disabling and systems to US regional deterrence and reassurance goals destroying the air defences and strategic, potentially all will be preserved by avoiding limitations on missile major military forces of other nations will consist of | defenses and preserving options for using heavy bombers intercontinental ballistic missiles, adapted submarine- _ and long-range missile systems in conventional roles" (p. launched ballistic missiles, hypersonic cruise missiles 25)’ and bombers, and super-stealthy strategic bombers able At a 6 April press conference on the Nuclear Posture to avoid detection by radar and thus evade ground- and _—_ Review with Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Join air-based defences. Chiefs of Staff Chairman Navy Admiral Michael Mullen, Any short-range, intermediate-range and long-range _ Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Secretary of Energy missiles remaining in the targeted country will in theory Steven Chu, Gates said that "we will maintain the nuclear be destroyed after launching by triad of ICBMs [intercontinenta kinetic, "hit-to-kill" interceptor ballistic missiles], nuclear- missiles. Should the missiles so The Prompt Global Strike capable aircraft and ballistic- neutralised contain nuclear . missile submarines" and "we wil warheads, the fallout will occur concept Is meant to continue to develop and improve over the country that launches sustain the US monopoly non-nuclear capabilities, them or over an adjoining body in the military sphere and including regional missile of water or other nation of the defenses". Mullen spoke o US's choosing. to widen the gap between "defend|ing] the vital interests o A Russian commentary of it and the rest the United States and those o three years ago described the of the world. our partners and allies with a more balanced mix of nuclear and interceptor missile systems and non-nuclear means than we as follows: "One can invest in the have at our disposal today" * development of a really effective ABM [anti-ballistic The Pentagon's "Ballistic Missile Defense Review missile] system and first-strike weapons, for example, in Report"’ of | February 2010 states that "(t]he United conventional high-accuracy systems. The final goal is to States will pursue a phased adaptive approach to missile create a capability for a disarming first strike (nuclear, | defense" and “develop capabilities that are mobile and non-nuclear or mixed) at the enemy's strategic nuclear __ relocatable” (p. vi). potential. ABM will finish off whatever survives the first The "Quadrennial Defense Review Report"’ of February blow.” speaks of similar plans. The review "...advances two clear The long-delayed "Nuclear Posture Review Report" of objectives. First, to further rebalance the capabilities of early April 2010 asserts the Pentagon's plans for America's Armed Forces to prevail in today's wars, while "maintaining a credible nuclear deterrent and reinforcing —_ building the capabilities needed to deal with future threats" (p. iii). It states that "(t]he United States remains the only nation able to project and sustain large-scale operations over extended distances" (p. iv) with "400,000 US easeeeees' military personnel...forward-stationed or rotationally deployed around the world" (p. xiv) and "enabled by cyber and space capabilities and enhanced by U.S. capabilities to deny adversaries’ objectives through ballistic missile defense" (p. v). One of its key goals is to "[e]xpand future long-range strike capabilities" (p. 33) and promote the "rapid growth in sea- and land-based ballistic missile defense capabilities" (p. 39). The US is also intensifying space and cyber- warfare programs with the potential to a completely shut down other nations’ military Albuquerque, New Mexico, hosts Kirtland AFB and many "Star Wars" surveillance and command, control, aerospace contractors like Northrup Grumman. Local activists communications, computer and intelligence continue to highlight Albuquerque's role in the plans to move the systems, rendering them defenceless on any arms race into space. (Source: www.space4peace.org) but the most basic tactical level. interaction between first-strike «geen eet ee The Prompt Global Strike concept is meant to sustain the US monopoly in the military sphere and to widen the gap between it and the rest of the world. Albuquerque, New Mexico, hosts Kirtland AFB and many "Star Wars" aerospace contractors like Northrup Grumman. Local activists continue to highlight Albuquerque's role in the plans to move the arms race into space. (Source: www.space4peace.org) 12 * NEXUS JUNE - JULY 2010 www.nexusmagazine.com