That is kept out of the limelight to not have it become a topic of discussion.
While this fact is threatening the lives of millions of people who are in constant mortal danger.
What is this fact?
The United States is keeping nuclear weapons in Europe.
In Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Turkey and the United Kingdom, closely guarded by their own troops, on their own airbases, the United States are keeping 480 nuclear bombs.
This makes the United States the only nuclear power that continues to deploy nuclear weapons outside its own territory.
These 480 nuclear bombs are kept in Europe to have them for possible use against Russia or the Middle East including Iran and Syria.
It is an absolute unacceptable situation but because in Europe nobody ever talks about it, it is not becoming a general public discussion.
That can force the European Governments and the European Union to instruct the United States to take their nuclear bombs home.
It is a ridiculous situation.
Imagine other countries would have airbases of their own in the United States?
Where they would keep nuclear bombs and their own bomber jets?
Their own military personnel.
Just outside from Detroit a large airbase with German soldiers, German airplanes and German nuclear bombs?
Because you never know what Mexico might do.
This sounds as totally absurd from the perspective of an American.
It is exactly the same for the presence of American troops with nuclear weapons in full autonomy in Europe for a European.
Of course there is a history why there are American airbases in Europe.
However, that history goes back over 60 years and the reasons that were convincing in those days have lost any sense these days.
Fortunately, something remarkable has happened recently.
In Germany , general elections have been taking place last month.
As a result, a new German coalition government has been formed consisting of the Christian Democrats and the Free Democrats.
Foreign Minister is Guido Westerwelle who has immediately called for a total withdrawal of American nuclear weapons from Europe.
Guido Westerwelle
That demand may come at a good moment because U.S. President Barack Obama said in April the United States would take concrete steps toward a world without nuclear missiles, although it would maintain a safe and effective arsenal to deter any adversary.Now discussions are going to take place between the different European countries to come to a consensus.
To start negotiating, with one voice, with the US government demanding immediate removal of these weapons of mass destruction.
Americans are very welcome in Europe.
For business and tourism.
But not as soldiers with nuclear bombs.
Just like in the United States.
.
3 comments:
I am not a US citizen, so my comments are based on objective observations of US and international politics and history.
Obama was widely criticized recently for scrapping the missile shield project planned for Poland and the Czech Republic. Criticism cited the increasing threat to Eastern European nations of invasion by an emboldened Russia and the recent revelation of Iran's growing nuclear capabilities.
The point here is that it is naive to believe that US nuclear missile bases throughout Europe protect only the United States. It is even more naive to think that the threats posed by Russia and Iran, North Korea and China do not warrant the stationing of DEFENSIVE weaponry around the world. All four of these countries are becoming increasingly threatening to their neighbors and western nations. Disarmament would, sadly, only serve to embolden them further.
While your opinion that the WMDs positioned in Europe should be removed in the name of world peace, it is a sad fact that they are in large part responsible for maintaining the "peace."
A large majority of the Polish people were opposed to the US missile shield that was planned to be put on their territory.
The Polish Government in favor of it has been voted out of office recently.
And when the Americans decided to put on hold the plan to implement a US missile shield in Poland the Poles were jubilant and relieved.
Second, two issues are mixed up here.
The possible threat to democracies by autocracies and the way how to defend oneself.
The posting was not about autocracies threatening.
It was about how independent, democratic nations happen to have foreign armies based on their territory equipped with weapons of mass destruction they can use at occupier's will without involving the guest country.
That is the issue.
It is preposterous to believe that Europe would be unable to defend itself without the help of the USA.
And what is really naive is to think that American weapons of mass destruction based in Europe are responsible for maintaining peace.
The US is in all of those countries by agreement with their democratically elected governments. We are not there by force and usually pay very heavily for the lease agreements. For many years we were in Spain and left when the new lease negotiations did not lead to an agreed price. I have to think that when nations agree to allow US military bases to be in their territories they must feel that for security and economic reasons it must benefit their people. Although I wish it otherwise, I recognize that the world seems to be ruled by too many people who overvalue the military. America would be better if almost all of out troops were home and we were not wasting so many of our resources around the world. Nations like Poland should be allowed to defend themselves like they have throughout history. America has no real stake in their foreign and domestic affairs. What did they do about the Vikings, Germans, and Russians before America?
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