Govt backs US missile policy In a statement last week, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer fully backed the US intention to construct a so-called National Missile Defence (NMD) system. Mr Downer claimed that such a system was necessary to detect missiles that may be launched by rogue states at the US. In posing and answering a rhetorical question, Mr Downer once again revealed the Government's abject servility when it comes to the US. He asked: "What do you think the American reaction would be to us saying to them: `We're closing down the relay ground station at Pine Gap because we don't want to be involved in helping you detect missiles that may be launched by rogue states at the US?'" Mr Downer has not named the alleged "rogue states". Does he have in mind the DPR of Korea, Iran, Libya, Cuba or some other? The proposal that these small states might launch an attack on the mightiest military force in the world is just plain ridiculous. Mr Downer says that criticism should not be levelled at the US over its plans but at countries developing or transferring missile technology such as Russia. Mr Downer would like to see all other countries defenceless in the face of the US juggernaut while the US continues to churn out and test nuclear weapons, and further enlarges its own missile capacity. The Government's support for the US plan has brought a strong rebuke from the Foreign Ministry of the Russian Federation which stated that Australia's remoteness would not save it from the instability that would be produced if the US NMD system goes ahead. Russian military sources have claimed that they have weapons that would render any missile defence system useless. The Australian Government may be turning Australia once again into a target for long range nuclear missiles. Any decision to proceed with the NMD means that the US Government would tear up the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) treaty entered into in 1972 which has brought about some reduction in nuclear weapons. Any decision to go ahead with an NMD system will inevitably bring about a new major worldwide arms race, but this time in space. _______________________________________________ Marxist-Leninist-List mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] To change your options or unsubscribe go to: http://lists.wwpublish.com/mailman/listinfo/marxist-leninist-list
