To Avoid World War III, Gorbachev Says All 'Nuclear Weapons Must Be Destroyed'

An excellent and deeply important article. There is so much for us to be paying attention to and to be knowledgeable about. Mr. Trump is too often the obsessive sole focus of Americans and our political and media systems. Consequently, too many fail to recognize (1) that this current occupant of the White House is a symptom of something so much greater, the roots of which are essential to understand, dismantle, and transform, and (2) that there are larger interconnecting threats present which imperil not just our nation, but all of life on Earth. Among them are certainly the many layered powerful neoliberal capitalist forces which have infected our political system and government and bought us Trump; which have fueled inaction on the climate and ecological crises; and which have exasperated all efforts to dismantle nuclear weapons. All of these must be addressed if there is to be any chance of the national and global transformation that is needed to save ourselves. — Molly

"As long as weapons of mass destruction exist, primarily nuclear weapons, the danger is colossal."

by

Jake Johnson, staff writer

Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev warned Monday that heightened nuclear tensions between Russia and the West have dramatically increased the threat of another catastrophic global conflict.

"As long as weapons of mass destruction exist, primarily nuclear weapons, the danger is colossal," Gorbachev said in an interview with the BBC. "All nations should declare—all nations—that nuclear weapons must destroyed. This is to save ourselves and our planet."

Gorbachev's remarks came just months after President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty that Gorbachev negotiated and signed with former U.S. President Ronald Reagan.

The pact barred both parties from possessing, testing, or using ground-launched nuclear and non-nuclear missiles with ranges between 310 and 3,400 miles.

Disarmament advocates, including Gorbachev himself, warned earlier this year that Trump's decision to ditch the Cold War-era treaty would set off a new nuclear arms race.

Asked Monday to describe current tensions between Russia and the West, Gorbachev responded, "Chilly, but still a war."

"Look at what's happening," said Gorbachev. "In different places, there are skirmishes, there is shooting, aircraft and ships being sent here, there, and everywhere. This is not the kind of situation we want. There mustn't be bloodshed."

Please go here for the full article and video: https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/11/04/avoid-world-war-iii-gorbachev-says-all-nuclear-weapons-must-be-destroyed?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR0GnF-pn_yTxzl2asl_BdLevPrhlLaKbCpActPV7-OW5aBQG9udb6isJWQ