Russian Foreign Ministry on INF Treaty, Hiroshima and Nagasaki

by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org - Home - Stephen Lendman)

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharov (MZ below) called the Trump regime's INF Treaty withdrawal "further graphic evidence of Washington's policy of destroying the system of international security and strategic stability," adding:

"Obviously, this policy is aimed at securing its military power and supremacy over any opponent. Thus, the Americans want to eliminate any restrictions that could hypothetically prevent them from reaching this goal."

The Trump regime's withdrawal from the landmark 1987 agreement was its latest reckless act, announced in February.

He and hardliners in charge of his geopolitical agenda want no restraints on US arms and munitions development and proliferation, part of their permanent war agenda.

The US has been an INF Treaty violator since at least the late 1990s, falsely blaming Russia for its own breaches.

Moscow went all-out to save the treaty — to preserve global strategic stability the Trump regime abhors, evident from its hostile actions.

MZ stressed that the US "has purposefully been destroying the treaty for a long time," adding:

"Only those who lack an understanding of the political environment in today's international relations do not know why the treaty's termination was again blamed on Moscow. It is convenient to accuse Moscow of anything. This is just one example."

"Washington's withdrawal from the INF Treaty creates the real prospect of the deployment of US nuclear missile systems of these ranges in various regions in the world." 

"Naturally, as Russian leaders said, we will have to take this negative factor into account in our military planning and, if necessary, respond practically to emerging threats."

On August 5, Putin said Moscow will adopt reciprocal measures to assure its national security.

Urging the Trump regime to reconsider its unacceptable action is no more effective than talking to a wall.

Nor is saying Russia "remain(s) open to an equitable and constructive dialogue with the United States on INF and other issues of strategic stability based on mutual respect and consideration for each other's interests."

Both extremist right wings of the US war party consider Russia a mortal enemy. Their longstanding plans call for regime change.

The prospect of improving bilateral relations is nil. As long as Russia remains sovereign and independent, uncontrolled by the US or another foreign power, ruling authorities in Washington will keep plotting to transform the country into a vassal state.

Abandoning the INF Treaty increases the option of attempting it militarily.

August 6 and 9, 1945 are dates that will live in infamy. Nuking Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the US were acts of gratuitous mass murder, one of history's great war crimes.

To this day, the Big Lie persists that annihilating both cities hastened war's end and saved many lives. 

Japan was defeated months earlier, its offer to surrender rejected by Franklin Roosevelt, before his April 1945 death, and Harry Truman after succeeding him.

HST lied calling Hiroshima "a military base," falsely claiming its nuking "destroyed its usefulness to the enemy," adding:

"It was to spare the Japanese people from (further) utter destruction…If they do not now accept our terms they may expect a rain of ruin from the air, the likes of which has never been seen on this earth." 

Nuking both cities had nothing to do with winning the Asia/Pacific war already won. It was all about testing America's new super-weapon in real time, displaying its might to Soviet Russia — what its leadership already knew, developing their own nukes, its first detonation in August 1949.

Nuking Hiroshima and Nagasaki was responsible for hundreds of thousands of Japanese deaths — from the detonations and radioactive contamination taking countless thousands of lives years later.

MZ: "Today, the total number of victims of these atomic strikes exceeds 450,000 people," adding:

"The destructive power of the atomic bombs dropped by the US on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was comparable to the results of conventional US air attacks on Japanese cities."

"…Washington deliberately chose the mass destruction of the civilian population(s)" in both cities with no military objective in mind.

"Today, both the US and Japan (primarily due to US propaganda) regard the atomic tragedy of the Japanese cities not through the prism of historical truth but rather fleeting political interests." 

"Historical truth is sacrificed to the military-political alliance of these two countries. To this day, not a single US president has really apologized for the atomic strikes in the way it should have."

Gratuitously nuking both cities were two of numerous US genocides — from annihilating Native Americans to the rape and destruction of one nation after another.

Terror bombing is an international high crime. Article 25 of the Laws of War: Laws and Customs of War on Land (1907 Hague IV Convention) states:

"The attack or bombardment, by whatever means, of towns, villages, dwellings, or building which are undefended is prohibited."

Post-WW II Geneva IV protects civilians in time of war – prohibiting violence of any type against them, requiring sick and wounded be treated humanely.

The 1945 Nuremberg Principles forbid "crimes against peace, war crimes and crimes against humanity," including "inhumane acts committed against any civilian population, before or during the war," – notably indiscriminate killing and "wanton destruction of cities, towns, or villages, or devastation not justified by military necessity."

Historian/activist Howard Zinn called "Hiroshima and Nagasaki…unforgivable atrocities perpetrated on a Japan ready to surrender…wanton act(s) of gargantuan cruelty, (not) an unavoidable necessity."

What "could be more horrible than the burning, mutilation, blinding, irradiation of hundreds of thousands of Japanese men, women, and children?"

"And yet it is absolutely essential for our political leaders to defend the bombing because if Americans can be induced to accept that, then they can accept any war, any means, so long as the war-makers can supply a reason."

Throughout the post-WW II period, the US waged and continues waging endless wars of aggression on nonbelligerent nations threatening no one.

It's just a matter of time before nukes are used again, today's thermo-nukes far more powerful than "fat man" and "little boy."

According to Popular Mechanics, the detonation of Soviet Russia's Tsar Bomba in 1961 was the most powerful thermo-nuke ever tested — "3,333 times" more destructive than "little boy."

It sent a mushroom-shaped cloud "up to more than 130,000 feet…shockwaves (sent) around the globe three times over."

Given today's technology, far more powerful nukes that Tsar Bomba can be made. 

In theory, there's almost no limit to how powerful they can be — able to destroy planet earth and all its life forms if enough thermo-nukes are detonated, what nuclear winter is all about.

Nuclear expert/activist Helen Caldicott gave a grim assessment of what's coming, saying months earlier:

"We're heading towards annihilation with global warming and nuclear war (by proliferating) weapons all over the world, and lots of other countries are into weaponization, too." 

"I've never really said this before publicly, but as a physician, analyzing the data as we do with our patients, and taking everything into account to work out a prognostication. I'd say it's grim."

Earlier she said "(i)f present trends continue, the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the water we drink will soon be contaminated with enough radioactive pollutants to pose a potential health hazard far greater than any plague humanity has ever experienced."

A "single failure of nuclear deterrence (could) start nuclear war." 

Devastating consequences would follow, potentially killing "tens of millions of people, and caus(ing) long-term, catastrophic disruptions of the global climate and massive destruction of earth's protective ozone layer." 

"The result would be a global nuclear famine that could kill up to one billion people." Enough thermo-nuke detonations could end life on earth.

Nuclear winter is the ultimate nightmare. No antidote exists, no coming back if things go this far. What should terrify everyone is never discussed publicly, virtually ignored by establishmnt media.

Humanity has a choice – eliminate wars and these weapons or they may eliminate us.

The human species is its own worst enemy.

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