HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK ---------------------------
http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/index.html Daily Jang (Pakistan) March 22, 2002 US nuke plans excuse for arms build-up: China paper BEIJING: A US nuclear policy review is a pretext for the United States to resume nuclear tests and develop new nuclear arms to extend its military dominance in the world, the China Daily charged on Wednesday. And the United States would be more likely to use nuclear weapons in combat after it deploys a missile defence system, a top Chinese defence analyst said in an editorial in the official English-language newspaper. The US Defense Department's Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) has sown confusion about Washington's strategy for deploying the world's most lethal nuclear arsenal. China has said it was "deeply shocked" by reports that the review listed it among possible targets for nuclear strikes. "The purpose of the US strategy adjustments, as suggested by the NPR, is to seek absolute military superiority," Zhu Qiangguo, a researcher at the China Defence Science and Technology Information Centre, wrote in the China Daily. "The proclaimed transition from a threats-based to a capabilities-based strategy is nothing more than a pretext for further arms build-up," he said. "In addition to maintaining a large number of nuclear warheads in active-service stockpiles, the US military is getting ready for the restoration of nuclear tests as well as the development of new weapons for nuclear deterrence." On Tuesday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Sun Yuxi said China was not satisfied with explanations of the review from US Secretary of State Colin Powell and National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice. "We are now waiting for the US side to offer up further more formal and clear explanations," Sun said. The Pentagon review, as reported over the weekend, raised the possibility of developing new types of nuclear arms and described contingency plans for using them against Russia, China, Iraq, Iran, North Korea, Libya and Syria. Senior US officials tried to play down the review, reported in The New York Times and Los Angeles Times, as simply prudent planning by Pentagon strategists. But the China Daily editorial said the new strategy would boost the US ability to pursue its global strategic interests and intervene militarily in international disputes. Washington would also continue to use nuclear weapons as a deterrent against countries, including Russia, despite pledging to abandon the strategy of "mutually assured destruction", it said. "The core function of nuclear weapons as a deterrence against Russia has not been reduced at all," it said. "On the contrary, US nuclear deterrence capability will be expanded when its missile defence system is deployed. Once the United States gets rid of the fear of nuclear reprisal from countries with a few nuclear weapons, the possible use of US nuclear weapons in real combat will be further augmented." China fears the US missile defence shield will effectively neuter its small nuclear arsenal and could be used to defend Taiwan, the island it regards as a rebel province. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Sports - live college hoops coverage http://sports.yahoo.com/ --------------------------- ANTI-NATO INFORMATION LIST ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [email protected] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9617B Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
