World peace in the shadow of nuclear weapons
The recent developments pertaining to world peace really make us wonder if the whole world is peaceful because of nuclear weapons. Would America, which launched an attack on Iraq on the pretext of that country possessing weapons of mass destruction, stay mum if Iraq actually had possessed those deadly weapons? This question remains unanswered even till date.
A nuclear war is just waiting for a tipping point to be unleashed across the globe is a fact well known to all. However, it should be irony of times that if peace prevails in the world today, it is also because of the nuclear weapons that are sitting duck somewhere. Their presence is threatening enough. Powerful nations are declaring war upon each other in their talks. Small countries that do not have nuclear weapons are being taken under the wings of stronger nations.
On one hand, nations talk about nuclear disarmament, and on the other they are demonstrating to smaller nations the inevitability of possessing nuclear weapons. Big countries do not want smaller nations to have nuclear weapons. If they do, the big ones force small nations to give up the nuclear weapons. Today, the situation is such that small nations would be consumed with fear for their security if they do not have those weapons. This is the contradictory situation that exists in the world. Big nations that preach peace are also equally responsible for wars across the world.
Let’s consider North Korea and United States of America. Both nations would speak in most threatening terms with each other that they’d press the button to unleashing nuclear warfare with each other’s nation as target. A war was almost predicted to be certain.
The world could heave a sigh of relief after talks transpired between America and North Korean leaders Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un respectively at the meeting in Singapore on June 12, 2018. Trump has reiterated his commitment to offer security assurances and Kim has offered an assurance to get rid of nuclear weapons in North Korea. Kim and Trump held a press conference together and declared that America would put a stop to joint military marches with South Korea. These marches had kept North Korea under a war threat since long. Not only this, America declared that it would withdraw 32,000 soldiers from the region. But the other nations seldom believe that North Korea will completely disarm itself of nuclear weapons. So long as America sets the rules of the game, other countries will seldom pay heed to it.
History is testimony that America is solely responsible for the competition over stocking up on nuclear warfare since long. America dropped atom bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. The bombs wreaked hellish havoc in the history of mankind. After this destruction, American President Harry Truman had said the country was ready to drop nuclear bomb on North Korea in 1950, just five years after Hiroshima and Nagasaki destruction.
From then on, America as continued its threatening stance on the world regarding an assault on other countries, especially North Korea, using nuclear weapons. America added nuclear weapons in Korean region. As a response to this, North Korea had to make and stock up nuclear weapons in order to ensure its own safety should things go bad around its borders. North Korea tested nuclear weapons in 2006, 2009, and 2013 only to send across a strong message. The President of America George Bush had categorized North Korea along with Iran when America went to war with Iraq in 2002. Hence North Korea often feared an America attack anytime. Even then, North Korea had said it was ready for a nuclear disarmament to peace talks and economic growth, should America engage in peace talks with them.
If America thinks a country can be attacked or brought under control by imposing sanctions, this method has been a grand failure even by its own experience with North Korea. At some point North Korea threatened to launch a nuclear attack on America sooner or later.
North Korea depends on global trade for its food supply since the country has hilly terrain that is not suited for cultivation and growing food. The country which gave 60% exchange to its import was being hounded with sanctions. North Korea was projected as an evil country, using all forms of mass media. This forced North Korea to secure its nuclear weapon stock with even more care.
A situation was created where North Korea suspected the country to be vulnerable to an attack from external forces, especially America anytime, and this forced the country to clam up. Because North Korea entered the game as an equal player, America stepped back for a bit and both met as equals in this game. With things having reached this stage, it seems like a miracle that both countries have come together on conducive and responsible terms. One can never forget the role of South Korea President Moon. Now the onus lies on America to stay committed to its words and ensure peace prevails between both countries after ages, minus the nuclear weapons.
This changed situation has a very significant message for India as well. The immature politicians in India keep speaking irrelevant things against Pakistan and declare verbal war against the neighbouring country every now and then. This has given rise to insecurity among both nations. Whenever India tested nuclear weapons Pakistan has done the same too. Both countries are suffering a diplomatic breakdown in the recent times like never before. That Pakistan is ruled by its army is an open secret.Saffron terrorists or Hindutva terrorists dictate peace talks in India. Only diplomatic efforts can save the bridge between both countries.
In its recent report, a Swedish agency had said Pakistan has more nuclear weapons as against India. What are the reasons for impoverished Pakistan to stock up on costly nuclear weapons? Indian diplomacy and politics plays a major role in this response mechanism. If a war breaks out between both countries the pain and loss will be endless. Everything would stand destroyed at the end of it. Hence, America is hesitating to launch an assault on Iran. United Nations is watching the whole situation with the eye of an eagle. Those politicians who wish India goes to war with Pakistan need to understand this loss.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Biden authorises Ukraine to use US-supplied longer range missiles for deeper strikes inside Russia
Manaus (Brazil) (AP/PTI): President Joe Biden has authorised Ukraine to use US-supplied missiles to strike deeper inside Russia, easing limitations on the longer range weapons as Russia deploys thousands of North Korean troops to reinforce its war, according to a US official and three other people familiar with the matter.
The decision allowing Kyiv to use the Army Tactical Missile System, or ATACMs, for attacks farther inside Russia comes as President Vladimir Putin positions North Korean troops along Ukraine's northern border to try to reclaim hundreds of miles of territory seized by Ukrainian forces.
Biden's move also follows the presidential election victory of Donald Trump, who has said he would bring about a swift end to the war and raised uncertainty about whether his administration would continue the United States' vital military support for Ukraine.
The official and the others knowledgeable about the matter were not authorized to discuss the U.S. decision publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's reaction Sunday was notably restrained.
“Strikes are not made with words," he said during his nightly video address. “Such things are not announced. The missiles will speak for themselves.”
Zelenskyy and many of his Western supporters have been pressing Biden for months to allow Ukraine to strike military targets deeper inside Russia with Western-supplied missiles, saying the U.S. ban had made it impossible for Ukraine to try to stop Russian attacks on its cities and electrical grids.
Zelenskyy's statement came shortly after he posted a message of condolence on Telegram following a Russian attack on a nine-story building that killed at least eight people in the northern city of Sumy, 40 kilometers (24 miles) from the border with Russia.
Russia also launched a massive drone and missile attack, described by officials as the largest in recent months, targeting energy infrastructure and killing civilians. The attack came as fears are mounting about Moscow's intentions to devastate Ukraine's power generation capacity before the winter.
“And this is the answer to everyone who tried to achieve something with Putin through talks, phone calls, hugs and appeasement,” Zelenskyy said.
The comment appeared to be a dig at German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who spoke Friday with Putin in the first such call with a sitting head of a major Western power in nearly two years.
Some supporters have argued that the limitation and other U.S. constraints could cost Ukraine the war. The debate has become a source of disagreement among Ukraine's NATO allies.
Biden had remained opposed, determined to hold the line against any escalation that he felt could draw the U.S. and other NATO members into direct conflict with nuclear-armed Russia.
Putin has warned that Moscow could provide long-range weapons to others to strike Western targets if NATO allies allow Ukraine to use their arms to attack Russian territory.
News of Biden's decision followed meetings over the last two days with the leaders of South Korea, Japan and China. The addition of North Korean troops was central to the talks, which took place on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Peru.
Biden did not mention the decision during a speech at a stop in the Amazon rainforest in Brazil on his way to the Group of 20 summit.
Asked about the decision, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told reporters that the U.N. position is “to avoid a permanent deterioration of the war in Ukraine.”
“We want peace, we want fair peace,” Guterres said Sunday before the summit in Rio de Janeiro. He didn't elaborate.
The longer-range missiles are likely to be used in response to North Korea's decision to support Putin's invasion of Ukraine, according to one of the people familiar with the development.
The overall supply of ATACMS missiles is short, so U.S. officials in the past have questioned whether they could give Ukraine enough to make a difference. Some supporters of Ukraine say that even a few strikes deeper inside Russia would force its military to change deployments and expend more of its resources.
North Korea has provided thousands of troops to Russia to help Moscow try to claw back land in the Kursk border region that Ukraine seized this year. The introduction of North Korean troops to the conflict comes as Moscow has seen a favorable shift in momentum. Trump has signaled that he could push Ukraine to agree to give up some land seized by Russia to find an end to the conflict.
As many as 12,000 North Korean troops have been sent to Russia, according to US, South Korean and Ukrainian assessments. U.S. and South Korean intelligence officials say North Korea also has provided Russia with significant amounts of munitions to replenish its dwindling weapons stockpiles.
Trump, who takes office in January, spoke for months as a candidate about wanting Russia's war in Ukraine to be over, but he mostly ducked questions about whether he wanted U.S. ally Ukraine to win.
He also repeatedly slammed the Biden administration for giving Kyiv tens of billions of dollars in aid. His victory has Ukraine's international backers worrying that any rushed settlement would mostly benefit Putin.
America is Ukraine's most valuable ally in the war, providing more than $56.2 billion in security assistance since Russian forces invaded in February 2022.
Worried about Russia's response, however, the Biden administration repeatedly has delayed providing some specific advanced weapons sought by Ukraine, agreeing only under pressure from Kyiv, its supporters and in consultation with allies.
That includes initially refusing Zelenskyy's pleas for advanced tanks, Patriot air defense systems and F-16 fighter jets, among other systems.
The White House agreed in May to allow Ukraine to use US-provided weaponry for limited strikes just across the border with Russia.
