Emma Claire Foley is a writer and filmmaker based in New York. She is the campaign director for Defuse Nuclear War at RootsAction.
Donald Trump justified his war on Iran under the pretext of preventing nuclear proliferation. But as the US’s allies consider developing nuclear arsenals, he’s set a dangerous precedent for their enemies.
A recent article in the establishment security journal Foreign Affairs makes the case for nuclear proliferation among America’s allies. Not only are its arguments unsound, but they also understate the willingness of the US’s rivals to respond in kind.
Israeli officials have cited a need to “escalate to de-escalate” as motivation for their ongoing assault on Lebanon. This theory has a long and ill-fated history in American foreign policy thinking, where it has served as a fait accompli for bloodshed.
Israel’s nuclear program is its worst-kept secret. It was made possible through the support of Western nations like France and has thrived due to a cynical attitude toward nonproliferation that has made the world more dangerous.
This week, the US tested ICBMs off the California coast. These warheads, which are one of the main contributors to America’s ballooning military budget, are not only strategically impractical but a threat to the lives of millions.