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Nuetron Bombs, Cruise Missiles: New Arms Aim Towards War

By VVAW

Cruise missiles. B-1 bombers. Neutron bombs. All have been in the news lately as decisions are being made on the type of weapons that are going to be part of the US arsenal for the next several years. These are crucial years because of growing tension between the US and the USSR. The two superpowers are on a collision course, and the danger of world war is constantly increasing. The decision to develop the cruise missile and the neutron bomb is a further step toward that war and an indication of the type of war they are planning. No matter how Jimmy tells it to us in his best back porch style, the cruise missile and the neutron bomb are offensive weapons whose primary purpose is to be used in a war with the Soviet Union.

These two superpowers are on a collision course because each is governed by a political -- economic system which requires expansion into the exploitation of other countries. Profit is the name of the game, and the most profit can be made in gaining economic control over Europe. Europe will be the prize of World War III because it is one of the most highly developed industrial areas of the world and can return high profits to whomever captures her.

War might break out in the Middle East which supplies the oil for Europe's industry or in some smaller country elsewhere. But such a war might be a preliminary war or will eventually shift to the European field. At the same time the probability is high that the US and the Soviet Union will be throwing nuclear warheads at civilian populations in each other's country and at military targets everywhere. The type of weapons systems developed by the US and the Soviet Union have to take into account the two aspects of such a war. One is actual control of the land (Europe) by the foot soldiers of one army or the other. Specific conventional weapons systems are designed for this purpose. The second type of weapon system is a strategic system, a system designed to wipe out the enemy's capacity to wage war. Such a system has the aim of wiping out the enemy's military facilities, communications network, transportation system and the factories and millions of workers in them who produce materials necessary to carry out war. Nuclear warheads could be used for both conventional and strategic weapons.

Strategic arms for the US have included three parts: warheads launched from 1) land missiles 2) submarines, and 3) bombers. The Russians have relied less on submarines and hardly at all on bombers for their arsenal. At this point the destructive capability of each side is roughly equal. Well they build up all these arms supplies, the two countries make a big show to prove they are for peace. They sit down for detente and Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT), but all these talks serve to do is cover up war preparations. They agreed to limit arms at a limit so high that it makes no difference. For instance, the limit for long-range missile firing submarines is set at 41. The Russians have less than 41 and are still building subs to reach that number. The US has that number, but is scrapping the outdated Polaris subs and replacing them with a more modern and devastating Trident while the number remains constant at 41. The effect is that there is no disarmament and war preparations go on.

The decision to scrap the B-1 bomber and build a cruise missile indicates a change in the structuring of the US strategic arsenal. The present bomber, the B-52, has become less effective with the development of more modern Soviet defensive equipment. If the bomber was to continue to be used as part of the US's strategic weapon system then the B-1 would have to be built. Members of the ruling class in military circles of the US have been debating over the past year whether to go ahead and build the B-1 or rely on the cruise missile as one of the main strategic weapons. Those who favored the cruise missile won out. Part of the reason is that they feel that the cruise will compress the purpose -- to wage war with the Soviet Union. Carter and his rich friends have nothing against spending our money for weapons of war. However, with the shaky state of the economy even more cuts would have to be made in things like vets benefits and unemployment compensation, and Jimmy Boy would have to face even more anger from the American people. Since the cheaper cruise missile was available, the B-1 was dropped.

The cruise can be launched from sea, air, or off the back of a flatbed truck. It hugs the ground, avoids radar and can strike within 30 meters of a target 1700 miles away. What it represents is an escalation in the arms race and a greater possibility of destruction. In response to the development of the cruise missile, the Russians will have to develop one of their own or else develop a way to defend against it. Whatever happens, the destructive power of weapons to be used in World War III is still growing.

Another weapon being developed at this time is the neutron bomb. This is a new nuclear bomb which has radiation without the blast. This weapon requires a war had 1/10 the size of current nuclear warheads to have the same destructive capacity. At the target area, people would be incapacitated in five minutes and die the next day. All people three quarters of a mile away would become incapacitated in a few hours and die in two weeks. At the same time it will leave buildings and structures intact. Its main use will be as a tactical weapon in Europe.

Neutron bombs, cruise missiles and other weapons of mass instruction are being developed in preparation for war. Caught in the middle will be the people of the world. The ruling classes of the superpowers are preparing for a devastating war that will be of no benefit to us.

When the shooting starts should we fight for and support the rulers of this country? No way! We went off to save Vietnam for freedom and democracy and found out instead that we were the enemy of the Vietnamese. We have a lot in common with the Russian soldiers who invaded Czechoslovakia in 1968 in order to save it. They were expecting the people to throw flowers at them, but instead the people threw bricks. Either the American or the Russian soldiers have anything in common with the class that runs our countries and starts these wars. Likewise, workers who slave in the factories in both countries and will be asked to sacrifice our lives when war starts have no reason to do so.

Well the cruise missile and other strategic weapons will be sent to completely wipe out Russian factories and workers (as the Russians would do to our cities) the neutron bomb might be used against Europe (mainly German) industrial centers. Supposing the Russian army occupied German industrial towns in the Ruhr Basin. Neutron bombs could wipe out the Russian army (as well as all the German civilians). This would leave all the factories in place for the US capitalists. Or suppose the factories of Czechoslovakia were turning out war materials for the Soviet Union. Instead of wiping out the factories, neutron bombs can be used to wipe civilians, cut production in the short run, and still allow the capitalists to take over the factories after the war.