NATO prepares for
“warfighting against nuclear-armed
peer-competitors”
By Andre Damon
July 30, 2022:
Information Clearing House-- "WSWS"
At the conclusion of this week’s NATO summit
in Madrid, Spain, the members of NATO,
including most European states as well as
the United States and Canada, adopted a
strategy document outlining plans to
militarize the European continent, massively
escalate the war with Russia, and prepare
for war with China.
The document pledges
to “deliver the full range of forces” needed
“for high-intensity, multi-domain
warfighting against nuclear-armed
peer-competitors.”
In a sea change from the last
strategy document, first published in
2010, the new NATO strategy document
proclaims that “the Euro-Atlantic area is
not at peace”—all but declaring that the
alliance is at war. This is despite the fact
that none of the members of the NATO
alliance have declared any war within the
“Euro-Atlantic area.”
The strategic framework document openly
adopts the language of power politics,
better known by its German name,
Machtpolitik. It references the word
“interests” seven times, declaring that both
China and Russia challenge the “Alliance’s
interests.”
The previous NATO strategic framework,
published in 2010, used the word “interests”
only once, in pledging to “enhance the
political consultations and practical
cooperation with Russia in areas of shared
interests.”
While the 2010 document named Russia a
“partner,” this year's strategic framework
proclaims Russia a “threat” and China a
“challenge.” The new NATO strategy document
explicitly justifies these designations by
declaring that these countries “challenge
our interests.”
It declares that “The PRC [People’s
Republic of China] seeks to control key
technological and industrial sectors,
critical infrastructure, and strategic
materials and supply chains. It uses its
economic leverage to create strategic
dependencies and enhance its influence.”
In order to preserve their “interests,” the
allies pledge to “significantly strengthen
deterrence and defense.”
Critically, the document asserts that the
series of actions that triggered the war in
Ukraine have been a success, declaring
“NATO’s enlargement has been a historic
success.” The Kremlin justified its invasion
of Ukraine by claiming that Ukraine’s
efforts to join NATO and the deployment of
nuclear weapons on Russia’s border
constituted a threat to its national
security.
The NATO document doubles down on the
expansion of the military alliance,
declaring, “We reaffirm our Open Door
policy. … Our door remains open to all
European democracies that share the values
of our Alliance.” It adds, “Decisions on
membership are taken by NATO Allies and no
third party has a say in this process.”
The war now raging in Ukraine is the
largest in Europe since the Second World
War, and has already killed tens of
thousands of Ukrainians and Russians. In
describing the expansion of NATO as having
been a success, the alliance effectively
declares that these deaths, and many more to
come, are acceptable costs for protecting
the interests of the alliance’s members.
In response to the challenges to the
alliance’s “interests,” the NATO members
have pledged a program of militarization
that will affect all aspects of society. It
declares, “In an environment of strategic
competition, we will enhance our global
awareness and reach to deter, defend,
contest and deny across all domains and
directions, in line with our 360-degree
approach.”
The document further states, “As long as
nuclear weapons exist, NATO will remain a
nuclear alliance,” and the alliance pledges
to “ensure a substantial and persistent
presence on land, at sea, and in the air,
including through strengthened integrated
air and missile defense.” The document adds
that “NATO’s nuclear deterrence posture also
relies on the United States’ nuclear weapons
forward-deployed in Europe and the
contributions of Allies concerned.”
The achievement of the goals set out in
the document requires a massive expansion of
the troops, munitions, and supply chains
necessary for war fighting. “We will deter
and defend forward with robust in-place,
multi-domain, combat-ready forces, enhanced
command and control arrangements,
prepositioned ammunition and equipment and
improved capacity and infrastructure to
rapidly reinforce any Ally, including at
short or no notice.”
The NATO strategy document does not
acknowledge or recognize any competing
priorities for military resources. The words
“hunger,” “poverty” and “unemployment” do
not appear, nor is there any reference to
the COVID-19 pandemic, which has killed tens
of millions worldwide and 1 million in the
United States alone.
The comments of US president Joe Biden
were fully consistent with the tone of this
document.
At a post-summit press conference, Biden
boasted: “We provided Ukraine with nearly $7
billion in security assistance since I took
office. In the next few days, we intend to
announce more than $800 million more,
including a new advanced Western air defense
system for Ukraine, more artillery and
ammunition, counter-battery radars,
additional ammunition for the HIMARS
multiple launch rocket system we’ve already
given Ukraine and more HIMARS coming from
other countries as well.”
He added that the total commitment of the
US allies included “nearly 140,000 anti-tank
systems, more than 600 tanks, nearly 500
artillery systems, more than 600,000 rounds
of artillery ammunition, as well as advanced
multiple launch rocket systems, anti-ship
systems, and air defense systems.”
Yet when asked about the costs to the
American public of the war, Biden did not
indicate that this was even taken into
consideration.
At the press conference, Biden was asked
by a reporter, “G7 leaders this week pledged
to support Ukraine, quote, ‘for as long as
it takes.’ And I’m wondering if you would
explain what that means to the American
people—‘for as long as it takes.’ Does it
mean indefinite support from the United
States for Ukraine? Or will there come a
time when you have to say to President
Zelenskyy that the United States cannot
support his country any longer?”
Biden replied, “We are going to support
Ukraine as long as it takes.”
Another reporter asked about the “high
price of gasoline in the United States and
around the world … How long is it fair to
expect American drivers and drivers around
the world to pay that premium for this war?”
Biden reiterated, “As long as it takes.”
Biden’s declaration is effectively an
unlimited pledge of social resources for the
war effort. Having gutted COVID-19 funding,
meaning that uninsured workers will be
forced to pay out of pocket for vaccines and
COVID-19 hospitalization, the American
ruling class is pressing ahead with
funneling vast social resources into the war
effort.
The plans outlined in the latest NATO
strategy document will have incalculable
consequences, not only for the war itself,
but also in the endless diversion of social
resources to military spending, which will
be coupled with the slashing of spending for
health care and pensions, and reductions in
workers’ wages.
As workers enter into struggle all over
the world against the surging cost of
living, it is critical that they take up as
a critical demand the struggle against war
and militarism.
The views expressed in this article are
solely those of the author and do not necessarily
reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House.
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