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Yesterday
peace activists in Turkey held protests in several cities against
US-NATO deployment of Patriot (PAC-3) "missile defense" systems being deployed
in their country along the Syrian border. Ostensibly deployed to "protect"
Turkey, these systems are being sprinkled around the globe in the ever
expanding US-NATO encirclement of Russia, Iran, and China.
There was no debate in the Turkish parliament about allowing these missile
deployments into their country. These kind of un-democratic decisions often
lead to spiraling escalation which benefits the war makers.
The Cuban Missile Crisis was provoked by the Soviet construction of missile
bases in Cuba but there were earlier actions by the US that helped create the
nuclear conflict. In April 1962, the US deployed the Jupiter medium-range
ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads in Italy and Turkey. Considering that
the Cold War was characterized by conventional and nuclear arms races, the
Soviet counter-missile measures in Cuba were a predictable response to the US
missiles in Turkey. Kennedy finally agreed to pull US missiles out of Turkey
and the Soviets pulled out of Cuba. Today the US is double-timing its
encirclement of Russia-Iran-China.
We sent a solidarity statement to the Turkish activists from the Global
Network. They
shared it with the media. Here it is:
We stand with you as you oppose deployment of NATO Patriot missile
deployments in Turkey that are aimed at Syria. These systems are
provocative and key elements in first-strike attack planning. So-called
"missile defense" systems are actually the shield that is used following a
first-strike attack. Thus when they are deployed they only increase
tensions and possibilities for wider war.
The US-NATO are now deploying these "missile defense" systems on land and
on Navy Aegis destroyers around the world surrounding Russia-Iran-China.
As a result both Russia and China are increasing their offensive military
capability in order to counter US-NATO moves.
It is crucial that the global peace movement stand in unity to oppose
these mis-named "missile defense" systems - they should be called missile
offense.
We send our greetings, our solidarity and our best wishes for peace.
Bruce K. Gagnon
Coordinator
Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space
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