By Prof. Engr. Zamir Ahmed Awan
The Guardian reported: “Unveiling the flag for his new space force in the Oval Office on Friday, Donald Trump said the US was developing a “super-duper missile” to outpace military rivals including Russia and China.
We have no choice, we have to do it with the adversaries we have out there. We have, I call it the super-duper missile and I heard the other night [it’s] 17 times faster than what they have right now, the president said, sitting at the Resolute Desk.”
According to Bloomberg News, Putin has said his Avangard missiles can “travel at up to 20 times the speed of sound, like a ‘meteorite’ or a ‘fireball'”. “Not a single country possesses hypersonic weapons, let alone continental-range hypersonic weapons,” Putin told military chiefs in December, according to Bloomberg, “They’re trying to catch up with us”.
I am optimistic as I recalled several statements of President Trump which never turn true in the past. Either these are regarding treatment of COVID-19 or threats to Iran after the Assassination of General Sulemani, or regarding President Kim of North Korea, most of them never come true.
But one thing I am dead sure that Trump Administration has increased defense budget and established Space-Force. Unfortunately, the US has a history of surprising the world and can go to any extent in defeating their enemies. The worst example is the use of nuclear bombs during the Second World War in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan. In the history of humankind, it is only the US, who has used nuclear weapons against humanity.
The US war against Iraq, Libya, Sudan, Syria, Yemen, Iran, Afghanistan, all are the examples, where the US has violated the UN charter and even have not bothered to discuss in the UNSC. Scraping the Iran Nuclear deal unilaterally is also one example. In fact, the US believes that they are above law and can do whatever suits them.
Based on historical facts, one can expect any extremely adverse step from the US. Especially, President Trump is a known-hardliner and can take any unpopular decision. Although Congress has reduced the presidential war powers, yet still he prevails veto powers in most of the cases.
With the rise of China and the revival of Russia, the US cannot compete them in a conventional war. Furthermore, the US has lost goodwill on the political front. NATO allies are not happy with the US over Security arrangements. The US has lost allies in the Islamic world and anti-American sentiments among the South American countries are on the rise. The collapse of the economy and failure to overcome Pandemic has further exposed America.
In view of the above, the US may think that it is unavoidable to go beyond and opt for unusual measures to sustain its supremacy. The US has enjoyed unique superpower status for a couple of decades and wanted to maintain the same. Of course, it can be a wish, no limits to anyone’s wishes. But what will be the cost? Who will pay this cost? Is there any justice? Human lives are precious, and must be protected. I trust in God and believe that God is kind, merciful and loves us. God will protect humankind, irrespective of their race, religion, or ethnicity.
All civilized nations and individuals should struggle for Peace, Equality, Justice, and well-being of humankind. We must respect the UN and implements its charter in true spirit. We must fight against our common enemies like; Poverty, Pandemics, Terrorism, Injustice, Racism, Extremism, and natural disasters etc. We must promote, understanding, harmony, tolerance, and respect for others. We must abandon the lethal weapons and weapons of mass destruction, as the end victim of all such weapons will be human beings.
Author: Prof. Engr. Zamir Ahmed Awan – Sinologist (ex-Diplomat), Editor, Analyst, Non-Resident Fellow of CCG (Center for China and Globalization), National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad, Pakistan.
(The views expressed in this article belong only to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy or views of World Geostrategic Insights).