HAOL, Núm. 13 (Primavera, 2007), 19-41 ISSN 1696-2060

THE FIRST REAL WORLD WAR AND THE EMERGING NUCLEAR HOLOCAUST

Petri Minkkinen University of Helsinki, Finland. E-mail: [email protected]

Recibido: 14 Diciembre 2006 / Revisado: 24 Enero 2007 / Aceptado: 31 Enero 2007 / Publicación Online: 15 Junio 2007

Abstract: In this article the problematic of the (FRWW) de facto declared by the first Bush First Real World War (FRWW) is discussed in administration after the S-11-2001 atrocities. It the light of Emerging Nuclear Holocaust. This is possible to suggest that the combination of discussion begins with an overview of Warren development of nuclear power for military W. Wagars science-faction novel A Short utilization represented by the Bush-Blair History of Future and related some fifty years coalition and the development of civilian- transition period conceived within world- commercial nuclear power represented by the systems analysis and as that of a major civilian-commercial nuclear power promotion bifurcation by Immanuel Wallerstein. It may by Lipponen open up possibilities for direct or thus be possible to pass into the future sooner indirect annihilation of the human kind in the than anticipated and reconstruct the passage of context of a Nuclear Holocaust in the history, actuality and future in actuality and foreseeable future. nearer than anticipated future, possibly without a Nuclear Holocaust and it may be possible to end On the other hand, as has been the case in the the FRWW without further negative regressions course of human history, though it is possible to into the past and without a Second Real World identify certain cyclical and repetitive War. Our common world is also experiencing a tendencies how the things have been and transition from a broad historical context of emerged, such tendencies are not however Eurocentric globalization into a non-Eurocentric necessary and can be reversed through one, which may also be non-capitalistic. intentional human action and transformative Keywords : First Real World War, Nuclear politics. It is for example possible that the Holocaust, new imperialism, global nationalism, change of power relations taking place within integral fascism, history, actuality, future, the US political class may undo the dystopic Eurocentric and non-Eurocentric broad aspirations of the second Bush administration historical context. and, among other things, undo the recent US ______tendency for militaristic adventurism and related promotion of military nuclear utilization and its INTRODUCTION escalation. On the other hand, the escalation of civilian-commercial nuclear utilization, lead by n the context of new imperialism, militarist Lipponen, seems to have powerful supporters aggressive global nationalism and hard form within the intermixed capitalist-political class I of integral fascism of the George W. Bush not only within the European Union but also administrations supported by his faithful globally. Given the interrelated nature of “socialist” adjutant Tony Blair and the right- military and civilian-commercial nuclear wing “social democracy” of the previous utilization and development, it is possible that Finland’s coalition government headed by Paavo even if the escalation and development of Lipponen, our common world seems to be military nuclear power were to halt down as heading for a total nuclear holocaust. In a sense, such, prevention of the emerging nuclear this possibly emerging global dystopia recreates holocaust will fail due to partial nature of this the nuclear war scenario prevalent during the de-escalation and the apparently peaceful nature Third Eurocentric Civil War of the 20 th century of civilian-commercial nuclear development and in the context of the First Real World War utilization prepares way for the rapid re-

© Historia Actual Online 2007 19 The First Real World War Petri Minkkinen escalation of military nuclear utilization. In done in the days of Napoleon Bonaparte Kaiser other words, even though it may be possible to Wilhelm II or Adolf Hitler. The survival of promote de-escalation and lessen the prospects sovereignty meant that deep within the world- of nuclear holocaust trough military nuclear system, which was otherwise managed quite utilization, we should not underestimate the rationally, lay a core of irrationality, kept alive combined power of military and civilian- and warm by puerile megalomania. As we have commercial nuclear utilization promoters and seen, capital actually benefited in its earlier days consequent re-escalation. from this division of authority. But in time the division became obsolete and counterproductive. In order to discuss these questions I first explain Since the lords of capital had imposed severe what is meant by the First Real World War and limits on the state system but failed to wring its how it is related to the changes taking place in neck, the possibility lingered that one fine day, the global political and economic context. As an when the attention of the Global Trade introduction to this discussion I analyze the Consortium was occupied elsewhere, the world-systems analysis based science-faction politicians would run amok and plunge the novel by W. Warren Wager. I proceed by planet into a general war” 2. analyzing the policy lines promoted by certain key actors which have promoted the possibility This prognosis, which contains the idea of a of emerging nuclear holocaust. By way of nuclear war between the Soviet Union and the conclusion I discuss the emancipative United States, the latter of which had withdrawn transformations taking place in the global power from the Confederated States of the Earth, runs relations and the possibilities to prevent nuclear roughly the following course of events. By 2000 holocaust in the context of compression of time the world economic system, in the context of and putting time back into joint. which Western capital had gone beyond the traditional boundaries of Western civilization, 1. THE FIRST REAL WORLD WAR had become a nearly complete planetary system and the world economic order was “indelibly In his world-system analysis based science- and irreversibly” capitalist. By 2008 the high fiction or science-faction book A Short History commissioner of the newly formed Global Trade of the Future (1989) W. Warren Wagar made a Consortium (GTC) was in a position to say to long term future scenario which is temporarily his GTC-fellows: “My friends, nothing can stop in line with the analysis of Immanuel us now”. Multinational corporations had grown Wallerstein published in 1995, in which he increasingly larger and by 2010 they were suggested that “We are entering a period of known in all languages as “megacorps”. In transition, which may go on for some fifty years, 2001, after the severe repression of 1995-2001, and which can be described as a major began the last Kondratieff long wave and with ‘bifurcation’ ( vide Prigogine) whose outcome is only brief interruptions “capital flourished as uncertain. We cannot predict the worldview(s) never before, aided by technological of the system(s) that will emerge from the ruins breakthroughs such as intelligent industrial of our present one. We cannot predict what robots. Until the 2030’s the situation of middle ideologies will be born or how many there will and lower social sections of the rich countries be, if any” 1. Within this time frame Wagar remained “at least tolerable” whereas “the perceived an actualizing nuclear war, the masses in periphery and less affluent portions beginnings of which he described as follows: the semiperiphery [such as Spain, China and Brazil] gained nothing”. By 2030 the income “In 2044, the lords of capital ran out of luck. distribution between the haves and the have-nots They had, from the beginning, made one fatal had become highly unequal, not only in the miscalculation. Even after they seized de facto traditional capitalist countries but also in the control of most of the world’s affairs in the early socialist countries such as the Soviet Union, 2000s, they did not oust the politicians and set which belonged to the core countries. In Wagars up their own dictatorship. narrative, “The world economy of capital wrested unprecedented wealth from the earth Officially, legally, constitutionally, and [… and] at the peak of its last long wave, capital sometimes in actual fact, sovereignty remained had carried our species to the threshold of vested in the various states, which from time to universal abundance”. In 2032 the world time continued to indulge themselves in economy entered into a great depression, which struggles for glory and mastery, as they had was “the most brutal in history”. In 2038 and

20 © Historia Actual Online 2007 Petri Minkkinen The First Real World War 2043, which were the low points of this keep it functioning smoothly”. Before the Soviet depression, “half of the workers in the core annexation of Israel, the Palestinians had countries and more than half the workers in the established a new political formation, the periphery had no work”. There was a short Independent Front for Freedom in Palestine in recovery in 2041-42 followed by “a second 2042, which was recognized by the CSE plunge in the winter of 2041-42”. During the observers as “a legitimate indigenous protest summer of 2044 things looked a bit brighter just movement and urged the Israelis to recognize before another kind of catastrophe 3. and deal with it”, which they did not but instead engaged in repression which aroused the Arab Meanwhile, in the context of the last long wave population in arms. The occupying Soviets of capital, nuclear arms proliferation continued. dominated the ADJOV, and engaged in At the time of the comprehensive arms repression against the dissident Israelis. In the limitation protocol signed at the Vienna US, president Mary Chávez had been in trouble conference in 1998 the United States, the Soviet in her bid for the second term due to dismal Union, China, France, Great Britain, Israel, economic situation and she needed “a India, Pakistan and South Africa had nuclear sensational victory in foreign affairs” and this weapons. In the context of Vienna protocol the need was reinforced because her Republican number of nuclear warheads diminished but opponents wanted to “restore America’s place in these arms become increasingly accurate and the sun” one of them “called for a crusade of more difficult to detect. By 2011 the US had crusades against the greatest heresy of our times, established its shielding system against nuclear one-worldism”. Chavéz called for “Soviet warheads constructed in the context of the withdrawal and the full restoration of Israeli strategic defense initiative launched during the sovereignty ‘by Christmas’” and the US military Reagan administration. The Soviet Union forces around the world “were placed on full established their system by 2018 and the West alert”. In December 2043 the CSE censured the Europeans with the help of Japan by 2021. Japan US for its ultimatum to the Soviet Union and the joined the nuclear club in 1999, Australia in next day Chavéz “announced the withdrawal of 2008, Sweden in 2012, Switzerland in 2015, the US from the CSE. The crisis deepened and South Korea in 2017 and Italy in 2025. Also without consulting any other power the US countries such as Iran, Iraq, Indonesia, Nigeria, began its nuclear attack against the Soviet Union Brazil and Argentina have for short periods of and in the course of nuclear war “Most of North time had “a small number of battlefield America and the Soviet Union was destroyed, weapons”. During the economic crisis of the together with many parts of Western and Eastern 2030’s and early 2040’s “extremist political Europe, the Middle East, and North America.” movements attained a measure of respectability” Nuclear war between Pakistan and India and “those with the most formidable backing destroyed much of the Indian subcontinent. Parts from the elements of the ruling elites sought to of China and southern India, parts of Europe as revive nationalism, racism, and imperialism, in well as parts of Mexico, Central America, Latin the guise of a people’s crusade against what they America, Australia and Southern Africa were perceived as a flabby, decadent less damaged in the war and its aftermath 5. cosmopolitanism”. The Middle East emerged as a major international problem, the Soviets Wagar’s science-faction contains various invaded the West Bank “with the pretext to important elements which allow us to give credit pacify the area” and the US and Soviet leaders to world-systems analysis and to his history of “traded insults and threats of Armageddon”. The the future approach. However, when we analyze Soviets withdrew in October 2042 but decided recent and actual events and development paths to annex Israel in December 2043 and in the history as it happened in the really established the Autonomous District of the existing world, we notice that many of these Jordan Valley (ADJOV) 4. events projected to the future have already happened or are in the process of formation. The Second Vienna Conference of 2026 had Next I proceed to explain these real world established a “true world government by events and point at in proper places to the reconstituting the United Nations as the similarities and dissimilarities with Wagar’s Confederated States of the Earth (CSE)”. narrative. The thesis which will be analyzed and Between 2026 and 2044 “the domination of poor substantiated is that we may be in a historical countries by the rich was so complete that no situation in which many of the paths and events significant military operations were required to developed in Wagar’s long term narrative are

© Historia Actual Online 2007 21 The First Real World War Petri Minkkinen compressed to the existing and emerging George W. Bush had been elevated to the actuality and the transformations projected to presidency of the US, suggested that in order the the future are taking place here and now. I will required radical increase in U.S. military also suggest that many of the historical events of expenditure, “the process of transformation different past decades and centuries are present [which would bring this about], even if it brings in the actuality and in a historical period in a revolutionary change, is likely to be a long which, as suggested by Jacques Derrida, “time is one, absent some catastrophic or catalyzing out of joint” 6, we may well be in an actuality in event – like a new Pearl Harbour” 7. which these historical events and paths and projected futures collide. Moreover, it may be Besides the actualized wish of a catalytic event, possible to pass into the future sooner than the PNAC was aware that in order to balance the anticipated and reconstruct the passage of US military power, the “smaller adversarial history, actuality and future in actuality and states, looking for an equalizing advantage, are nearer than anticipated future, possibly without a required to acquire their own weapons of mass Nuclear Holocaust. destruction”. However, “whatever our fondest wishes”, the PNAC’s conception of the reality Human intervention in the events and paths of of world helped them to make a conclusion that history always has an impact in the course of there is no “magic wand” to eliminate these history. Sometimes it is possible that individuals weapons or a wish to acquire them and thus and groupings with no anticipated possibilities “deterring their use requires a reliable and of impact can change the ways the future dominant U.S. nuclear capability” 8. Thus, the develops in the actuality. It is often supposed new imperialist aggressive global nationalists that those individuals and groupings with most arose to power already in 2000 and launched the human and material resources and suitably First Real World War in 2001, in a context of a placed in the locations, corridors and networks US and global economic crisis threatening of power are best positioned to impact the capitalist world-order or world-system, fearful course of history. It is however difficult to one-worldism and other kinds of oppositional preview which kinds of individuals and movements representing alternatives to the groupings emerge as the makers of history and existing order of things, and the activation of quite often those best equipped and positioned to semi-permanent Middle-East crisis, one purpose have such an impact cannot manage the process of which was to achieve a sensational victory they are about to initiate or have initiated, and and to restore Americas place in the sun, besides despite apparent change of history’s course, they and along with launching a war against the end up undoing the possibilities of the course of humanity and especially internal and external history they preferred. This is obviously the case others, with the help of nationally oriented of the new imperialist group of the United States economic sections of the US ruling classes with which made an attempt to alter the course of less de-territorialized economic interests and history in the context of the events of 2001 thus not solely by the politicians as such, though which opened up possibilities to impose a new not necessarily in accordance with the sections dystopic world-order in the context of their new of transnationally oriented economic classes, imperialist political program and the First Real whose interests were at least somewhat better World War they initiated. True, they did have an represented by the World Trade Organization impact, the highly negative consequences of established in 1995 as well as the Bretton which have terrorized and distorted our common Woods twins, International Monetary Fund and world up to date but it is also evident that they World Bank Group 9. cannot control the process they initiated and which has had tremendous unintended What, then, do I mean by the First Real World consequences which, for their part, have War (FRWW) and why it has been launched at contributed to the emergence of an actuality and this particular situation? The First Real World near future very much different to the state of War initiated by the first administration of affairs they had in mind to restore and impose. George W. Bush is the first global war which is One important part of this unintended state of not waged primarily between the Eurocentric affairs is the fact that the Unites States is in the ideologues underlining the necessity of process of losing its global position, contrary to economic growth and their representatives. It is the project to preserve it and enhance it as composed of the war on terror and non-white planned by the Project for the New American others, the new imperialist wars of occupation Century (PNAC), which in 2000, the year and a world-wide compound of internal civil

22 © Historia Actual Online 2007 Petri Minkkinen The First Real World War wars. In the case of first variant, the war on our social, economic or ethnic background, we terror and non-white others, a gross all are considered potential targets of the war on generalization of labeling almost all kind of terror and non-white others. oppositional and activity and social alternatives promotion and production as terrorist activity is When we discuss terrorism, I have defined being made and this presupposition does not terrorism as “physical and mental violence necessarily require that the alleged terrorists against innocent civilians, which causes one or engage in violent activities. This was the initial more deaths or injuries and which aims at the tone and the intent of the new imperialists promotion of political objectives in ways which whom, in the context of S-11-2001 atrocities, increase fear and disintegration in target created, reinforced and utilized an atmosphere of community.” This definition can be applied to fear and intimidation which allowed them to the cases of non-state terrorism as well as state impose strict social control and comprehensive terrorism and it excludes military, paramilitary and institutionalized system of internal and other such units which can be considered as surveillance within the Unites States and on its parts of an asymmetric war 11 . This definition territorial borders and to strengthen and promote demands further discussion of the legitimacy of similar measures outside its national territory. the use of violence in the context of global war Social control was extended also into the on terror and non-white others waged in cyberspace of internet, as the surveillance of auspices of the FRWW. It is evident that also in information circulating within this sphere was this case mental and physical violence against intensified 10 . Similar though not necessarily civilian population with above mentioned always exactly the same and of similar intensity objectives can be seen as terrorism. Due to the measures of internal control were adopted also fact that in the context of war on terror and non- by other political entities, such as the European white others we all are considered potential Union, despite the fact that many aspects of the terrorists, this definition demands us to question occupation war in Iraq as well as the war on the legality, not only of the war of occupation in terror and non-white others in itself were Iraq which was from the point of view of criticized within and outside the decision- international law clearly illegal, but also the making circles. whole idea of global war on terror and non- white others – and its applications in the It is also important to point at the non-white national, macro-regional and global legislation others element of the war on terror, due to the and similar law-like degrees. Without going into fact that many of its direct victims are of non- deeper discussion on the human nature, which European descent – especially of Arab-Semitic cannot be done in this context, it is possible to descent or with “typical Islamist” physical suggest that all human beings cannot be either features, the most potential terrorists of all – or bad, criminal, or terrorists – as suggested by the mixed breed as is the case of for example ideologues of war on terror and non-white others Mexican mestizo-population within and outside – at least all the time. From this it follows that the US as well as on entry and exit points of the such a war declared by a few persons leading US. Moreover, those of European descent but of one state 12 or certain human beings deciding on “lesser breed” with darker skin colour are legislations 13 allowing such a state of war, can considered more potential terrorists than their be considered illegal, or only pseudo-legal, whiter co-descendants. Also the fact that those emerging from a repressive and non- belonging to non-respectable social sectors, representative social condition, and in any case, even if their skin colour is white, are more unethical. Moreover, in the context of a global potential terrorists, underline the importance of state of war, such a war itself can be considered adding non-white others element, this time with representing world-wide state-terrorism and as the connotation of internal and external social such a crime against humanity 14 . others, to the name of this part of the FRWW. In the case of the United States – and also outside On the second variant, the most obvious case is it – black skin colour, Islam as religion with the II Iraq war launched in 2003 and declared constructed connotation to Islamism and social over relatively soon but which has not ended by position as either internal or external other can the time of writing this article in January- also be defining features of a single human February 2007 and which is already lost by the being. Moreover and in addition to the US and the shrunken “coalition of the willing”. abovementioned necessary defining features, it II Iraq war was initiated with the pretext of false is essential to remember that independently of and fabricated “causes” such as the claims of

© Historia Actual Online 2007 23 The First Real World War Petri Minkkinen Saddam Hussein Iraq’s involvement with the part of global network of internal civil wars, atrocities of S-11-2001 and that his regime may be a result of a new imperialist war of possessed weapons of mass destruction, occupation (as in Iraq) or be connected to an including a possibility that it was in a process to internal civil war which is related to the war on reinitiate a supposed nuclear weapons terror and non-white others as declared by the production plan. This war has, as I warned in first Bush administration, and be connected to a 2004, turned also into a civil war, which can be civil war that predates the declaration of the seen as one part and variant of the world-wide FRWW and be related to the proto-phases of the compound of internal civil wars intimately actual war on terror and non-white others of connected to the FRWW. However, one should earlier US administrations, which were also not wall into a trap of believing that the II Iraq related to the power politics involved in the war is nowadays only a civil war, because this Third Eurocentric Civil War (as in Somalia) 19 . state of affairs is one aspect of the ongoing war In any case, internal and possibly extended civil of occupation 15 . Moreover, as it has been the wars, are related to the war on terror and non- case all the time, the presence of occupying white others, and therefore, to the war against foreign troops is the main – if not the only 16 – internal and external others, white or non-white, reason for the ongoing civil strife. Moreover, with the emphasis on the latter, and in general to the second Bush administration may be in a the FRWW (against humanity). process to begin another new imperialist war of occupation also against Iran – the government of An element which unites all parts of the First which has all the time been the main target, not Real World War is a concentration and torture only of new imperialist Bush administration, but camp such as Guantánamo or Abu Ghraib. In also other US administrations ever since Iran’s order to end up into these facilities, you are Islamic revolution in 1979. It is also possible supposedly a combatant or an enemy either of that such aggressive policies will be launched the war of occupation, the war on terror and against Syria. As was the case of Iraq, also now non-white others or some or some part of the there are allegations that Iran is building or global network of internal civil wars, which may planning to build weapons of mass destruction, or may not overlap in a single human being. It is and in this case, as was also the case in the also possible to consider concentration camp as context of the I Iraq war, Iran’s alleged nuclear an element of this war and a social condition weapons plans, which, as tend to be the case, which defines one national state, in which case conveniently forget the fact that both the US and walls and other wall-like surveillance and Great Britain are renewing their nuclear control measures define the entry or exit, or lack weapons arsenal 17 . of them in this political unit. In a situation in which this kind of state of affairs is imposed In the case of third variant, a global compound globally, there are natural limits for the entry or or network of internal civil wars, civil wars are exit of this political unit, given the fact that at fought against the non-white, dissident, non- this point permanent human existence outside conformist and deviant elements in every these limits is impossible and even the country which is within the sphere in which the temporary being outside it is possible only for war on terror and non-white others is waged. selected few. This is not however to be These countries or other political units may have considered a necessary global condition. formal or less formal agreements or comparable arrangements uniting these internal civil wars, The FRWW and its component war varieties can for example as a macro-regional or trans- also be analyzed in terms of globalizing integral regional internal civil war. In the case that such fascism, a part of which are differing modes of arrangements are global, the internal civil war domination, repression, subjugation and forms component becomes a global internal civil war. of control and surveillance exercised by various In these latter cases it is possible to see certain social groups, especially but not only the ruling similarities with the First, Second and Third and governing segments of societies. These Eurocentric Civil Wars of 20 th century, which differing modalities are built into the broad were, however, waged primarily between the historical context of Eurocentric globalization, a Eurocentric economic growth ideologies and starting point of which can be located to 1492, their representatives, which remains a separating as typical for the Eurocentric expansion and feature in relation to the First Real World War forms of global domination, but varieties of and its components as defined here and which have been present and will probably be in elsewhere 18 . Moreover, internal civil wars as a some form present outside the temporal limits of

24 © Historia Actual Online 2007 Petri Minkkinen The First Real World War this particular broad historical context 20 . It is the pretext of the war on terror and non-white possible to analyze the political programs of others. Social change is promoted – and neo-liberalism and new imperialism in attempted to prevent – by forceful, repressive connection with corresponding light and hard and military means and there is a tendency to forms of integral fascism 21 . In the first case, strive for domination of “friendly” states there is a growing tendency toward transferring primarily through indirect and detached means social control and domination to private or semi- and “unfriendly” states through direct and private organs and institutions, in line with the forceful domination on the spot. There is a overall tendency to privatize and individualize general tendency toward undermining human the economic, political, social and cultural and personal rights and the concentration and practices. However, at least in some parts of the torture camps utilized by the aggressive and world there is, in the context of more or less expansive nationalists during the Second sincere willingness to respect the human rights, Eurocentric Civil War reappear 22 . Security and a simultaneous tendency to uncover and judge surveillance structures are strengthened and in past crimes against the humanity and the various states such as the US and Russia dissident sectors of societies, which may be political decision-making circles are filled with related to increased importance given to people with roots in or with close connections to individual human beings, in the broader context old and new intelligence institutions. On of tendency toward social atomization. Despite interstate and trans-social levels, it is possible to the seeming relaxation of social control and identify a dominant pole of globalizing integral apparent and superficial individualization, there fascism, the United States 23 , as well as various is, however, a growing market forces lead and forms of dependent integral fascism, of which, political forces facilitated tendency toward the in the context of this article, one may point at unification of human practices and norms and at small technologically advanced countries such least in some parts of the world, especially in the as Finland and Israel, which are in many ways US and the UK, a growing tendency toward dependent on various social forces and practices deeper and intensified social control, of the dominant pole of integral fascism, and securitization and emerging militarization of parts of the ruling and governing segments of societies in the name of protecting of a society which have also been in key positions in the which allows social atomization. Even if we find construction of emerging nuclear holocaust, the social and political dissolution in both rich and problematic of which is to be discuss in the poor countries and wars in different parts of the following section. world, there is a tendency toward peaceful resolution of conflicts and social change. 2. THE EMERGING NUCLEAR HOLOCAUST In the latter case, despite the continuous privatization of social control and also of In the context of Second Eurocentric Civil War military and paramilitary based repression and the aggressive and expansive nationalist of that warfare, there is a simultaneous revalorization of era, represented by the National Socialist the public sphere especially in relation to law German Worker’s party (NSDAP) applied a and order practices, repression and torture, political program which was targeted against the social control and warfare with the pretext of non-white others, political opponents and other “demands” of the war on terror and non-white groups and individuals considered deviant from others. There is effectively a reunification of the point of view of the ideal society, social private and public forms of social control, now relations and social norms adopted by the with the emphasis on the latter, on every layer of adherents of NSDAP, the so-called Nazis. Their the society, extending over every single human political program carried to the extreme the being, and especially internal and external views related to racial hygiene and white others, dissidents and those considered socially supremacy that had been promoted in the United deviant. Moreover, in the context of recovered States and Europe during recent decades and sense of society and communality, and, after the which in various formulations had been built relatively brief manufactured intensive period of into the European global expansion which began outright fear, hate and fear and hate production, during the 15 th century and especially after in the apparent context of still very limited 1492, as suggested by the view presented here reappearance of human liberties, social control on the inbuilt nature of integral fascism into the within the societies and also by the individual broad historical context of Eurocentric members of civil society intensifies, again with globalization. Their political program promoted

© Historia Actual Online 2007 25 The First Real World War Petri Minkkinen the extermination of Semites, especially the the form of civilian-commercial and military Jews, whom were considered as a racial group, utilization of nuclear reactions 26 represents a as well as the Gypsies, homosexuals and clear example of this, as is suggested e.g. by the communists, among others. In order to carry out discussion what is the degree of guiltiness, if the extermination program they utilized to the any, of Albert Einstein to the development of extreme the results of technological especially military nuclear power and mass- development involved in the capitalist murders which took place in Hiroshima and modernity as well as the methodologies Nagasaki. After the Second Eurocentric Civil separating unwanted individuals and groups War, which was, as the First and Third from the rest of society, which materialized in Eurocentric Civil War of 20 th century, a battle the form of concentration camp, the most (in- between the Eurocentric economic growth )famous of which was Auschwitz (O święcim), ideologies and their representatives, and in the located in Poland conquered by the German context of which the United States had used army. The end result of this process, ending of nuclear weapons against the Japanese civilian which was not considered the first priority by population in abovementioned locations, there the Allied leaders – or, for that matter, probably emerged concerns in relation to civilian- by the Soviets either – was the extermination of commercial and military utilization of nuclear millions of human beings 24 . We know this reactions. process by the name Holocaust (or Ha-Shoah), which most often is meant to refer the In the Agreed Declaration of November 15, exterminations of Jews, which, though 1945, the heads of state and government of the numerically large part of the exterminated, was US, the UK and Canada “recognized that the by no means the only purpose of the development of atomic energy, and the extermination process. It is estimated that about application of it in weapons of war, have placed 50 million people died during the Second at the disposal of mankind ‘means of destruction Eurocentric Civil War of the 20 th century, about hitherto unknown’”. In 1946 the so-called 20 million of whom were Russians or Soviets. Acheson-Lilienthal report recognized that, “the In this article I suggest that the ongoing process development of atomic energy for peaceful of escalation of civilian-commercial and military purposes and the development of atomic energy development and utilization of nuclear for bombs are in much of their course technology promotes a Nuclear Holocaust, interchangeable and interdependent. From this it which may lead to the death of millions or follows that although nations may agree not to billions of human beings and possibly to an use in bombs the atomic energy developed extermination of the humanity and substantial within their borders the only assurance that a sections of flora and fauna as well25 . conversion to destructive purposes would not be made would be the pledged word and the good Scientific research as in fact any other human faith of a nation itself. This fact puts an activity has intended and unintended enormous pressure upon national good faith.” 27 consequences as well as various combinations These early recognitions involve various points between such forms of consequences. The of interest from the contemporary point of view. former, as represented in this case especially by First of all, it is relatively obvious that most if natural sciences, has the capacity to unveil not all actors involved as well as human beings previously unknown possibilities to transform in general agree that nuclear reactions involve the relation between organic and inorganic tremendous possible threats. Secondly, there is worlds as well as these component worlds and no reason to believe that the relation between parts of them themselves and the conjunct of civilian-commercial and military nuclear energy organic and inorganic worlds. In the context of and its development has changed. Thirdly, it is capitalist modernity and the political, economic evident that though nations may have and other competition and power struggles agreements in relation to nuclear development between different units within it pose and have and utilization, we most often have to rely on posed threats for scientific inquiry by increasing good faith in relation to their intentions. Now, the possibilities of unintended consequences of the members of “international community” have disinterested scientific inquiry – when scientific expressed their concern over the nuclear inquiry itself had not been subjugated into the development project of Iran and that they do not service of such purposes. Basic natural science have good faith in Iran’s plans, which are in relation to unintended consequences, i.e. use supposed to lead to the development of nuclear and misuse of the results of scientific inquiry, in capacity for military utilization. This lack of

26 © Historia Actual Online 2007 Petri Minkkinen The First Real World War faith is said to have increased due to Iran’s respect mentioned above. In the first case, president’s suggestion that Israel should be human beings are perceived as disposable wiped of the map. It is not difficult accept the commodities and depersonalized inputs in the view that wiping out of Israel 28 and especially economic processes – unless completely Israeli population with conventional or nuclear marginalized as excessive human waste of weapons is unacceptable idea and practice 29 . otherwise rational processes. In the second case, human individuals are perceived as potential Then, on the other hand, we are required to have threat units which can be shot, bombed and good faith in, say, the intentions of permanent tortured to death. Humanity in itself is perceived member-states of the UN Security Council and as untrustworthy composition of dehumanized Israel. As mentioned, the United States is the objects which can be wasted for example only country which has used nuclear weapons through a Nuclear Holocaust. In both cases against the civilian populations. It is also well dehumanization is carried to its extreme. known that the surface nuclear tests of e.g. the However, despite the general tendency toward Unites States, France and Soviet Union-Russia dehumanization, the non-white others are have caused deaths and serious illnesses with considered the most disposable. In the context of possible transmission to the following emerging Nuclear Holocaust, one may point at generations within white population with the earlier concept mega-death which was European descendants as well as non-white coined as a unit referring at a million deaths populations with no such descendants. We are caused by a nuclear strike – and popularized by also aware that all the abovementioned countries a heavy music group which adopted the term as are engaged in the commercial-civilian use of its name. Within the ruling and governing nuclear reactions and possess nuclear weapons, circles which are in favor of neo-liberal political the destructive potential of which is well above program and/or new imperialist political the one’s used in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. program and their respective modalities of Moreover, besides the famous accidents in integral fascism, there is a tendency to support commercial-civilian nuclear plants of Three both civilian-commercial and military utilization Mile Island and Chernobyl, there has been a on nuclear reactions. This is one example of the continuous line of such accidents, as well as general tendency involving contempt of human those related to military nuclear utilization e.g. beings and the humanity, which is included also in submarines, the severity of which has varied in popularized easy greenish – and also in and that we can read almost daily basis of the certain brands of green fundamentalist – problems related to civilian-commercial nuclear thinking, that human beings are less important plants 30 . Moreover, even if one were to have than other segments of flora and fauna without such good faith, there is a history and very likely considering enough human beings as parts of the the actuality of accidental use of nuclear ecosystem and our common world. One may weapons, as is reported to have happened for also ask, in relation to the discussion on climate example in February 13, 1950, when an US change, whether the concern over the rising sea military plane “B-36 en route from Alaska to levels at least partially involves a worry that the Carswell Air Force Base in Forth Worth, Texas” well-to-do rich country inhabitants can also in in bad weather conditions dropped the nuclear the future enjoy their beach mansions, in the weapons it carried “off the coast of British context of which it is nice to express concern Columbia”, Canada 31 . However, in recent over the survival possibilities of polar bears or decades and in the actuality it is not realistic to poor country inhabitants whom happen to live at expect such a good faith, in a bit similar fashion low-land coastal areas? 32 though arising from different kind of world- view than that expressed by the PNAC, in their Why then there has been an increasing tendency proposition in relation to small states, with clear to forget the linkage between civilian- implication especially to those populated by the commercial and military nuclear utilization as non-white others. well as the prospect of emerging Nuclear Holocaust? Besides the contempt of human One of the features neo-liberal and new beings, one can suggest that in general level this imperialist political programs share, in the is related to the lack of historical knowledge and context of integral fascist mentality, is the incorrect understanding of the contemporary tremendous contempt of human beings as global processes. On more practical-ideological individuals as well as human race as a whole, level, we find the supporters of neo-liberal and keeping in mind the partial reservations with this new imperialist political programs doing active

© Historia Actual Online 2007 27 The First Real World War Petri Minkkinen propagation in favor of nuclear utilization. In is related to the willingness to prevent more relation to civilian-commercial nuclear radical social transformation and preserve the utilization, one can point at the views of John basic social structure intact even if there is or Rich, Director General of the World Nuclear may be considerable revisions in the ways and Association, who was of the opinion that his modalities of managing the social system. Such ”personal friend of many years” [at that time] was the case during the 19 th century when in the prime minister Paavo Lipponen ”has contributed context of revolutionary action and radical ideas additional leadership by speaking clearly about presented by thinkers such as Karl Marx forced modern Europe’s need for nuclear power”. the practitioners of political economy to delimit Moreover, he recollected that Mr. Lipponen had their inquiry in order to externalize the considered European anti-nuclearism as problematic aspects related to the social reality “economically absurd” 33 . When Finland’s reflected by the discipline as well as to introduce Parliament made a decision which allowed the a certain degree of social protection. Another construction of a new – country’s fifth – nuclear example is the New Deal policies of Franklin D. plant in May 2002, the Financial Times Roosevelt administration, which were adapted considered in its editorial that this decision “has amidst the economic crisis of the 1930’s and in given the nuclear industry a morale boost”. At relation to the problems encountered with the that time a new nuclear plant would be the first revolutionary Mexico, in the context of which a one within the European Union in 10 years and set of policies admitting the problems of also the United States had refrained from new speculative capitalism, limiting the influence of nuclear plant construction for 20 years. certain sectors of national capitalists, However, they thought, at that time the nuclear transforming the foreign policy line of the US as industry could not yet “claim any renaissance”. well as increasing social protection were Besides this, outside the European Union-US introduced, again in order to preserve the basic context, various nuclear power plants were social structure 35 . Another possibility is to adapt under construction in various Eastern European a repressive and aggressive posture in order to and Asian countries 34 . In today’s world things undo the emancipative and progressive social have changed considerably with this respect and transformative politics and their realization – a it is hard to deny the responsibility of Lipponen policy line adopted successfully for example by lead (or Finnish industry lead) pro-nuclear Joseph Stalin and Adolf Hitler during their power coalition in relation to this development. lifetime within their jurisdictions and Mr. Rich, among many others, justifies the increasingly unsuccessfully by George W. Bush benefits of civilian-commercial nuclear within and beyond his jurisdiction. utilization, among other things, with its supposed benefits in the struggle against the In relation to civilian-commercial nuclear climate change, which is increasingly conceived utilization, the nuclear industry, its association as a result of human activity. One can accept the and their friends have utilized the crowing view which has received increasing support that concern on climate change in order to promote climate change, which is increasingly conceived their “economically non-absurd” interests. In the as human-made, is the main environmental case of various countries, including the threat our common world is facing. On the other dominant promoter of new imperialism and hard hand, why should we accept the claim that form globalizing integral fascism, the US, as civilian-commercial nuclear utilization, having well as a representative of dependent form of its considerable problems in itself, as well as a integral fascism, Finland, there has been a clear linkage with the military nuclear utilization perceived need to underline the importance of and the emerging Nuclear Holocaust, would be a energy security, yet again, also but not only in solution, which it clearly is not and cannot be? relation to civilian-commercial utilization of nuclear reactions. Both of these countries and Now, there is nothing new that the owning, Israel have also been concerned with the internal ruling and governing segments, in situations in and external security, due to real or constructed which there is a threat to their own social reasons. Though Finland has both internally and position and existence, posed by radical ideas externally (especially within the European and practices as well as active individual and Union) promoted practices related to the war on more collective action and organization are terror and non-white others, there is a relatively forced to adapt ideas – in real or and most often broad understanding that internal and global milder versions – promoted by such thought and security is related to socio-political issues action. In these situations the reason for doing so (which, however, have not sufficiently been

28 © Historia Actual Online 2007 Petri Minkkinen The First Real World War reflected in the overall policies of societal war on terror and non-white others, and the development of that country) and not necessarily current chair of board of oil-giant Shell. The to terrorism as such 36 . On the other hand, the relation of Anglo-Dutch Shell to the new overall Finnish integration policy in relation to imperialist war of occupation in Iraq is evident, the European Union is based on the imaginary not only because British troops participate and of potential external threat from the part of also Dutch troops have participated in the war of Russia 37 , which has been reflected in the urge occupation 41 , one purpose of which is to destroy that Finland should belong to all core Iraq’s previous social structure and reconstruct institutions of the EU as well as in the views this country in order to serve the particular presented by some ruling and governing sectors economic interests of especially the US but also – though not shared by the population – that “allied” economic forces, first of all those Finland should become a member of NATO, a involved in non-deterritorialized economic military alliance which has clearly been activities, such as oil extraction and refining. transformed into a part of new imperialist Shell is also among the oil-giants to which the policies to be found, besides the US, within the Bush administration has planned to prioritize in EU. On the other hand, the US and Israel, both the utilization of Iraq’s oil assets trough the of which are constructed as states on conquered production sharing agreements (PSA) which territories 38 (as well as Finland, for that matter 39 ) would give them oil extraction rights for a 30 and have been actively promoting policies years period 42 . Moreover, Ollila leads the aimed at the internal and external others of all European Round Table of Industrialists (ERT) racial descendants as well as constructed and and has been involved in the activities of self-enforced external threat, to be struggled Trilateral Commission and Bilderberg Group, all against with all possible means, including of which plan and organize the activities of rich nuclear weapons, for the use of which they country ruling and governing segments. From themselves have granted a right. the point of view of the war of occupation, his participation to the Bilderberg meetings has On the other hand, all these three and many given him possibilities to socialize with the key other countries have promoted policies which figures of NATO and US officials involved in promote internal and external insecurity, either the planning of the war of occupation 43 . through neo-liberal political program or new imperialist political program with respective Besides benefiting from and most likely forms of integral fascism 40 . This is also related supporting the war of conquest in Iraq, Shell to economic globalization, however defined or positively though not necessarily with full applied within these political programs, one sincerity conceives alternative energy sources aspect of which has been the emergence of such as advanced solar, wind, biofuels and corporations with global or nearly global hydrogen as parts of a “long-term response to presence and/or activities, such as General climate change and concerns about energy Motors, Exxon, Sony, Shell and Nokia, all of security.” 44 Of these, biofuel fever has already which have interests to be defended and increased the suffering of poor people for countries, institutions and political actors example in Mexico, where this has been at least promoting and defending their interests, and the a partial reason for price increase of maize representatives of which are also by themselves which is the basic staple of local poor people, interest promoters and creators. especially indigenous people 45 . However, oil majors have a major stake in the continuity of In relation to civilian-commercial nuclear oil production and can be seen as at least partial utilization as well as ruling and governing competitors with civilian-commercial nuclear classes to tackle this issue without utilization. Besides that it is obvious that at least compromising their vested interests, one may the “Western” oil and nuclear industries, besides point at another Finnish key figure in relation to willing to increase their share as providers of the the FRWW, the war on terror and non-white contemporary and future energy consumption, others and the emerging Nuclear Holocaust, have a shared interest in propagating for “energy Jorma Ollila, the former CEO of Nokia, a security” while at the same time benefiting from nominally Finnish but mostly foreign own the wars of conquest as well as from the telecommunication giant, which as other similar escalation of civilian-commercial nuclear high-tech corporations, contributes to the utilization, with evident connection to military development of equipment which serves the nuclear utilization. In other words, while purpose surveillance component involved in the benefiting from the war and nuclear escalation,

© Historia Actual Online 2007 29 The First Real World War Petri Minkkinen they both stand to improve their future earnings countries, which opened up possibilities for the field of partly competing alternative energy stealing and selling nuclear devises to sources, especially those conceived as “terrorists” and other elements unsatisfied with alternatives to greenhouse gas emissions and the US-led capitalist expansion in the context of CO 2. This is reflected also in the policy line of capitalist triumphalism and the ever increasing the ERT, which indicates concerns over CO 2 implementation of neo-liberal political program. emissions and the development of climate During the 1990’s the United States succeeded friendly technology, though basically interested temporarily in reversing the overall post-early in business competitiveness, as indicated in its 1970’s tendency of US global decline, as letter to the European Commission, which does suggested by the world-systems analysis 50 , not exclude civilian-commercial nuclear which has however continued and intensified utilization from the possible alternatives to CO 2 during the Bush the younger administrations emissions 46 . engaging in the implementation of new imperialist political program from the beginning In this case we can detect yet another case of of 2000’s, partly due to the increasing awareness green-washing, in similar ways the social of this tendency of decline. We should also democratic parties which supposedly promote remember that in the context of declaring the common good while pushing further reforms FRWW, which can also be conceived as a war based on neo-liberal political program and the against human-beings and humanity, the Bush conservative parties claiming to promote well- administration singled out an Axis of Evil, being of the workers but effectively interested in composing of Iraq, Iran and North Korea – in the deepening of these “reforms”, besides being some formulations also Brazil, Venezuela, and even more in favor of new imperialist political Cuba, of which Brazil seems nowadays to be program and hard form integral fascism than removed from the list – and announced to social democratic parties 47 . Moreover, the ERT develop further its own nuclear arsenal and and other business organizations have tactical warheads 51 . Their aggressive new traditionally had close relations with the imperialist policies suggested to other countries European Commission, which has proposed to that ultimately the only way to prevent reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promotes aggressive action from the part of the new the creation of true internal EU energy market, imperialist US is to develop forms of nuclear and conceives nuclear energy as a way to military utilization, which is clearly related to promote a shift to low carbon energy and the civilian-commercial nuclear utilization, and suggests that if the level of nuclear energy use which, as indicated, has been promoted by the reduces, this must be rebalanced by “other low ruling and governing segments of the Euro-US energy sources” 48 . Therefore, despite different area, among others. Since then there has ways to masquerade the civilian-commercial happened considerable “progress” with this nuclear utilization issue, when not promoted respect. openly, many ruling and governing elements are in favor of it and in the context of European As indicated before, neither civilian-commercial Union, which has, despite previous, shown more nor military nuclear utilization can be interest in environmental problems, there are considered safe. Now, in the beginning of year two countries, Great Britain and France, which 2007, it is possible to point at yet another sign of are in possession of nuclear weapons and of this tendency, with certain parallels to the Soviet these, Great Britain has announced to develop decline and collapse, that is, the concern over further its nuclear weapons arsenal49 . the capabilities of the US military establishment to guard its own nuclear arsenal and related In relation to military nuclear utilization, we information 52 . In order to counter this should remember, that after the collapse of the misconduct, the Bush administration, in the Soviet Union and the East-European “real context of its overall rearmament program and socialist” bloc, the “international community” aggressive global policies, is planning to (which in this context should be read as those develop new kind of nuclear warhead which parts of representatives of Eurocentric ruling would be “sturdy, reliable and secure from segments aiming at dismantling not only “real terrorists” and which could “replace the current socialism” but also milder “socialist” or more arsenal with Reliable Replacement Warheads” 53 . “social democratic” attempts to promote social This program would allow the development a justice and alternatives) expressed concerns over “first new nuclear warhead in nearly two the unstable situation in these ex-communist decades”. The United States is a signatory to the

30 © Historia Actual Online 2007 Petri Minkkinen The First Real World War Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty which at least Israel has plans to “destroy Iran’s uranium in theory requires the ultimate “liquidation of all enrichment facilities with tactical nuclear their existing stockpiles” of nuclear weapons. weapons”, which would allow Israeli’s without a Those in favor of the program suggest it would fear of “Second Holocaust”, as was done against allow the reduction of current stockpile of Iraq’s nuclear reactor in Osirak in 1981 with “some 6,000 warheads to perhaps 2,000 or less”. conventional weapons. It was however indicated According to General James E. Cartwright, who by the “sources close to Pentagon” that the US heads the US Strategic Command, these new would not give – at least pre-attack – approval warheads would allow maintaining a stockpile for the use of tactical nuclear weapons 58 . “that would be the smallest practical to maintain its credibility” 54 . However, these 2,000 It is also worthwhile to remember that Israel “modernized, more reliable and safer” nuclear continued its aggressive policies against the warheads would still be enough for the Palestinians during and after her 2006 war annihilation of the whole existing world and in against the Hezbollah and Lebanon 59 . This the overall context of aggressive new imperialist caused alarm also in Egypt which just before US global policies, their only real effect would Olmert’s nuclear weapons admission decided to be to promote global nuclear rearmament, as has reinforce its police forces on its border with already happened as a direct cause of these Gaza in the context of a circulating idea that policies 55 . Israel was about to bombard frontier area in order to “close clandestine tunnels” of the An indication of this is that in December 2006 Palestinians whose movements through Israel to Israel’s Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was West Bank has been restrained by Israel. Such interpreted admitting in an interview on German bombings with “intelligent bombs” were television the well-known unspoken fact that considered alternatives to the reoccupation of Israel possesses nuclear weapons, which was the Gaza Strip 60 . Also Iran, which certainly naturally denied by the Israeli authorities. remembers Israel’s unilateral (with US approval Moreover, in an interview on Israeli television, or guidance) military attacks against Saddam Olmert claimed – forgetting the views expressed Hussein’s Iraq’s nuclear energy facilities, by expansionist Zionists and Jewish hard right – reacted to Olmert’s admission. Iran called for that Israel has “never threatened any nation with the UN Security Council to take actions. Iran’s annihilation”. He went on to confirm the UN ambassador Javad Zarif said admission had established fact that “our” nuclear weapons are “removed any excuse – if there ever were any – good whereas those of “theirs” are necessarily for continued inaction by the council in the face bad by saying that “Iran, openly, explicitly and of this actual threat to international peace and publicly threatens to wipe Israel of the map. Can security”. He also proposed that the Security you say that this is the same level, when they are Council should “compel it [Israel] to abandon aspiring to have nuclear weapons, as America, nuclear weapons, urge it to accede to the NPT France, Israel, Russia?” 56 Olmert’s revelation [Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty] without aroused immediately reactions in Arab world delay and demand this regime to place promptly and Islamic countries as well as around the all its nuclear facilities under IAEA world. That was also the case of Egypt, the [International Atomic Energy Agency] full- president of which Hosni Mubarak announced in scope safeguards” 61 . a summit with Olmert in January 2007, that his country does not want nuclear weapons – a However, within the process in which an stance adopted already in early 1990’s when attempt is made to guarantee that Iran would not they declared in Baghdad in the presence of develop nuclear weapons – but which would Saddam Hussein that “the Middle East should be allow nuclear energy for “peaceful” purposes – free of weapons of mass destruction – atomic, UN Security Council decided on December 23, biological and chemical” – “but since they 2006 to impose trade, financial and training appear highly present in the area, we must embargo on Iran covering such activities in defend ourselves.” Both indicated their relation to the supposed development of nuclear uneasiness with Iran’s [supposed] nuclear weapons. In the case that Iran does not comply weapons ambitions and Olmert – trying to undo with the requirements of the resolution 1737 his admittance, which has also been considered (2006), the Security Council shall “adopt further as tactical – that “Israel will not be the first to appropriate measures under Article 41 of introduce nuclear weapons to the Middle Chapter of the United Nations to persuade Iran East” 57 . However, soon after it was revealed that to comply with this resolution and the

© Historia Actual Online 2007 31 The First Real World War Petri Minkkinen requirements of the IAEA”. The resolution hoc panel on nuclear forces sponsored by the allows a nuclear program for peaceful purposes, National Institute for Public Policy, a “noting that such a solution would benefit conservative think tank”, which was organized nuclear non-proliferation elsewhere” and in January 2001 when Bush the younger was welcomes “the continuing commitment” of preparing to take office as the President. On the permanent Security Council members and other hand, there are reportedly strong Germany as well as the “support of the sentiments in the US military “against European Union’s High Representative to seek a brandishing nuclear weapons against other negotiated solution” 62 . To be sure, it is highly countries” 64 . Despite such attitudes within the recommendable that there will be a negotiated US military, we are not allowed to forget the solution. However, one is forced to ask why Iran fact that the US is the only country in the world deserves such a resolution and no resolution is which has used nuclear weapons against civilian considered necessary in a situation in which population – in a war situation, during the Israel admits – strategically or not – possessing nuclear weapons tests also other countries have nuclear weapons. Moreover, despite the known exposed civilian populations to deadly radiation dangers related to commercial-civilian nuclear – and that the US army has frequently used energy, “peaceful” nuclear energy is allowed depleted uranium in its recent war efforts for despite the obvious interconnectedness of example in Iraq, Kosovo and Afghanistan 65 . military and commercial-civilian nuclear utilization. It is also curious that the Security Though it is essential to consider events and Council does not consider the US and British developments in relation to the Middle East plans to develop further their nuclear arsenal conflict and Eurasia (in this case especially worth a resolution, even if it is certain that those Iran), due to especially the US and Israeli making the resolutions are by now perfectly well policies and their interconnectedness with the aware that the Bush US administration and its Armageddon scenarios present for example in aggressive new imperialist policies have forced the religious right supporting Bush those in danger of US aggression to prepare for administrations new imperialist policies 66 , and such aggression and that the policies of this without necessary in-built Armageddon administration allowing for itself new scenario, also due to the inbuilt use of force generations of nuclear weapons, is the most threat in the abovementioned UN Security important threat to non-proliferation 63 . Council resolution, despite its punctuation on negotiated solution, it is possible to point at Iran has all the time been the main US and also various related problems which are more or less of the current new imperialist administrations connected to Wagar’s science-faction. For target in Eurasia and in the context of example both China and India have suggested multilayered policy involving various options the development of solar-energy which could be within the scale ranging between pressure based channeled to earth through equipment installed diplomatic efforts and direct military invasion. on the moon. This could be one possible This has also been admitted by the military alternative energy source but, at the same time, establishment and a senior adviser on the war on it necessarily arouses the question on the terror and non-white others of Pentagon has possible misuse of this kind of technology in the been reported saying “this White House believes context of a sort of latter-day version of Star that the only way to solve the problem is to Wars kind of militarization of space, which may change the power structure in Iran, and this or may not be related to China’s recent means war”. This latter option could also “successful test of an anti-satellite weapon”, include the use of tactical nuclear weapons, an criticized by the US, Japan, Britain and option considered viable by various prominent Australia 67 . Such plans have by no means security official of the Bush administrations abandoned by the US new imperialists and their such as the national-security adviser Stephen supporters in the US military-industrial complex Hadley and Under-Secretary of State for Arms either, as indicated by the reports that the US is Control and International Security. The overall about to build missile shield system sites to idea of “treating tactical nuclear weapons as an Eastern Europe (Poland, Czech Republic) 68 essential part of the U.S. arsenal” and […] their within the EU, as has been the case also of CIA suitability ‘for those occasions when the certain torture-concentration camps e.g. in Poland. Here and prompt destruction of high priority targets is one should remember also the recent essential and beyond the promise of announcement of the British authorities about conventional weapons’ was presented in “an ad- their scheme to develop their own rocket

32 © Historia Actual Online 2007 Petri Minkkinen The First Real World War technology which would allow British only “would take ‘appropriate measures’ to counter moon flights, and at the same time, develop the system”. Putin also announced that Russia technology which would provide own carriers of was about to freeze its commitments under the nuclear weapons, in the context of a sort of a Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) treaty 72 . “rocket security” version of “food security” and Moreover, the head of Russia’s Armed Forces recent “energy security” thinking, thus General Stuff, Yury Baluyevsky, said his improving their “national” capabilities 69 , despite country can develop “anti-aircraft and anti- the continuing US-UK special relation, missile defenses superior to any that exists, notwithstanding the attempts to make at least an ‘including the United States and I am ready to apparent separation to Blair legacy by the prove that’”. He also said that the elements of Gordon Brown government 70 . the shield can become targets of Russian forces, “strategic, nuclear or other […]” 73 . One can thus The question on US missile shield system in easily conceive situations in which the missile Eastern Europe has emerged as one of the most shield system(s) do not decrease the possibility acute problems in relation to the emerging of Nuclear Holocaust but increases its Nuclear Holocaust and it may also increase the possibility considerably. In such a situation it possibilities that the actual FRWW develops does not really matter much, whether a nuclear into a “Major War” between major powers, war begins first between the US and Russia, the including those central from the point of view of European Union and Russia or even the declining Eurocentric world order. In relation to European (and possibly Russia) and the US. US missile shield system in Eastern Europe, Moreover, such a situation would clearly Immanuel Wallerstein has underlined that its represent a “Major War” between Eurocentric main purpose is to protect the US against major powers, which goes directly against the Western Europe, i.e. mainly the European presuppositions presented by those suggesting Union. Besides being an attempt weaken that there has been a tendency of declining Western Europe, its objective is to “create a possibility of war between major powers, as situation in which the United States is forced to thought by many authors in a compiled work support the east Europeans.” He also points out edited by Raimo Väyrynen 74 . Moreover, if there in the situation in which the US “withdraws is a direct war between these Eurocentric powers from Iraq and recalibrates its global stance to possessing nuclear weapons, it is quite probable take into account of its diminished geopolitical that these weapons will also be used. power, sustaining the Polish and Czech regimes may seen less useful, may even fade totally from Also India has engaged in the space race importance.” In that situation the Eastern supporting also military missile development European governments – while being and both the US and Russia have promoted economically and militarily dependent on civilian-commercial nuclear cooperation with Western European powers – “would be on their India 75 . In the US case, there seems to be a shift own”, “especially when there is a closer Paris- from considering Pakistan an important ally in Berlin-Moscow rapprochement” 71 . It is evident the war on terror and non-white others toward that the “threat” of Iran or North Korea has favoring India 76 , possibly because India has nothing whatsoever to do with this missile played important role as an high-tech production shield system. Moreover, as Wallerstein and development location and India is been suggests, the European Union can be considered considered a democracy77 . Pakistan and India its major target due to the fact that the PNAC are already in possession of nuclear weapons has had at least from 1992 had the objective to and in 2005 North Korea declared to be a prevent the emergence of any competing power nuclear power and this seems to have been or area. confirmed by the nuclear weapons test this country made in October 2006. In the end of I would not however underestimate the January 2007 it was reported that North Korea possibility that the US missile shield system is and Iran have began to extend their existing targeted also against Russia. Its political target military cooperation to nuclear issues 78 . North may well be the European Union, which cannot Korea has been able to escape the US military at least now be considered a military threat to aggression and there has been some discussion the US. But, besides being a political target, it is that this would have been possible also for Iraq not difficult to think that Russia is its target in if it would have possessed nuclear weapons. military terms. Russians clearly think so and During year 2007 there has been negotiations President Vladimir Putin has said his country between North Korea and the US, in which

© Historia Actual Online 2007 33 The First Real World War Petri Minkkinen North Korea has been able to get economic and hegemony is also lost and what remains is pure political benefits while making promises to domination based on naked coercion. In the withdraw from the development of military situation of interregnum and the crisis (of nuclear utilization without completely authority) “the masses have become detached abandoning civilian-commercial nuclear from their traditional ideologies, and no longer utilization, which, however, in the last instance, believe what they used to believe previously promote similar consequences. […].” For him the crisis exists because “the old [system and belief system] is dying, and the new Independently of how things develop in relation cannot born.” Gramsci discusses whether this to nuclear utilization programs of North Korea “rift between popular masses and ruling and Iran, among others, such changes do not ideologies” can be “cured” by resorting to have an impact on the problematic question simple use of force in order to prevent “new according to which “we” can possess the means ideologies from being imposing themselves” and of military and civilian-commercial nuclear whether this situation can be resolved through utilization while “they” cannot – unless “they” the restoration of old order, a possibility he rules are allowed to possess for example nuclear out though not “in an absolute sense”. The weapons or neither “we” nor “they” are allowed physical coercion leads to “a widespread to possess them and forms of civilian- skepticism” and “a new ‘arrangement’ will be commercial nuclear utilization. It is also found”, which may include purification of the possible that there is a connection between dogma (“catholicism will even more become North Korea’s nuclear development and the simply Jesuitism”) or a transition towards a new appointment of South Korean Ban Ki-Moon as social system and a belief system (“the the Secretary General of the United Nations 79 . possibility and necessity of creating a new Also some countries of Latin America, which culture”) 81 . In the context of and before has been declared a nuclear weapons free area, contemporary interregnum, the neo-liberal may find it necessary improve their political program which surpassed and purified preparedness to counter possible – though at the neo-classical economics from “socialist” moment unlikely – US aggression, as is the case Keynesianism and/or other alternative socio- of Hugo Chávez administrations Venezuela, economic thought-practices close to economic which has announced an acquisition of Russian nationalism, was at least partially surpassed by Tor M1 missiles 80 . Therefore, in the context of the competing new imperialist political program, First Real World War and with the help of both of which are today increasingly de- commercial-civilian nuclear utilization use legitimized even if the new imperialists have promotion by Paavo Lipponen and military tried to construct a new hegemonic consensus in nuclear utilization use propagation by George relation FRWW and its component part war on W. Bush, our common world is facing an terror and non-white others as well as hard form emerging Nuclear Holocaust. integral fascism. In order to surpass the FRWW and the emerging Nuclear Holocaust, it is CONCLUSION: BEYOND THE FIRST necessary to surpass neo-liberal and new REAL WORLD WAR AND THE imperialist political programs and proceed EMERGING NUCLEAR HOLOCAUST toward more emancipative, social, democratic and ecologically responsible ideas and practices, Our common world has in recent years entered too. in a period of interregnum , a concept which Antonio Gramsci connected to the crisis of In the course of this article it has been possible authority, in the context of which consensus in to identify various similarities between Warren relation to the everyone benefiting nature of the W. Wagar’s science-faction narrative and the actual form of the existing social system created events and tendencies of the real world. It was by the ruling classes and the intellectuals also suggested that as Jacques Derrida wrote in producing explanations why this system is the 1990’s, the time has been out of joint. It may beneficial has vanished. In Gramsci’s well be the case that in the context of understanding hegemony or hegemonic situation interregnum in which the time is out of joint, we can exist only when there is consent of the ruled are in a situation in which many tendencies in relation to the benefits of social order, during collide and that the quasi-identical replica of 20 th which the utilization of coercion or physical and 21 st centuries involved in Wagar’s world- force is not considered necessary and coercion is systems analysis based temporalization should only latent. When consent disappears the be reviewed in ways which accept the possibility

34 © Historia Actual Online 2007 Petri Minkkinen The First Real World War of compression of the future, in the context of energy sources resembling the similar which it is possible that both the negative and tendencies of 1970’s. Of these, the ideological positive tendencies are visible and happen dogmatization and radicalization resembles also earlier than anticipated and that in the process of the situation of 1930’s, when the representatives going beyond the interregnum in which time is of aggressive nationalism arose to power in out of joint, a sort of re-composition of time Germany and that of 1970’s, when both the neo- may take place and the transition towards more liberal political program and new imperialist emancipative social orders can take place earlier political program and their supporters and possibly also without the Nuclear strengthened their position and of which the Holocaust. In relation to this discussion and our latter grouping arose to power in the US in possibilities to anticipate or preview the future I 2000. Latter of these, along with the short and have suggested that we have no possibilities to long-term problems of the US economy, predict with certainty the death of capitalist continue to pose a threat to world economy, world-system for example in 2009 or 2040 82 . especially in the case of escalation and deepening of the FRWW in Eurasia. The latter What, then, are the colliding tendencies of these is directly related to the emerging resembling situations from the past century our Nuclear Holocaust. common world has been facing in the context of interregnum or the period of bifurcation. First of Moreover, the world-economy and global all, we are in a revolutionary and war phase governance system is heading towards macro- resembling that of 1910’s situation. There has regionalization, with possible reconstruction of been a revolutionary situation in Mexico at least the governance system at the global level, from the 1990’s and there is in the actuality. including reforms on institutions and possible Moreover, from the 1990’s we have seen a creation of new institutions. Within this formation of global movement for alternatives framework there are also tendencies toward and we have strong anti-systemic and pro- strengthening nationalism and localism. In this alternative forces operating for example in Latin context we are witnessing a transition from a America and Eurasia. The alternatives broad historical context of Eurocentric movement has been active also in Europe and globalization toward a non-Eurocentric and United States, among other places, not to forget possibly multi-centric broad historical context Asia and Africa. Secondly, the speculative and possibly also a post-capitalist order though decade and the depression decades of 1920’s this latter is more uncertain than the former and and 1930’s bear considerable similarities to depends also on the definition of capitalism those of 1990’s and 2000’s. Therefore, as was adopted 83 . It also seems to be the case that there evident in the beginning of 2000’s, the world is a transition from a world order in which a economy entered in a crisis period resembling unified socio-economic system is required that of 1930’s, which may result in W- toward a world order in which co-existing but movement (crash, temporal recovery, differing socio-economic systems are allowed depression) as in the 1930’s and recovery being and possible. Moreover, depending on what possible only after the Second Eurocentric Civil directions the development of world order War. There is no certainty of a lasting upward system assumes or is made to assume, we may Kondratieff cycle – the temporalization of which also be heading toward, so to speak, towards has never been exact – despite certain recovery 1950’s or 2050’s, in which case it is possible to of the world economy until recently, due to, prevent the emergence of the Second Real among other things, the capability of economic World War (SRWW). In this or resembling case forces to keep the relatively appreciated US it may be possible to undo not only new dollar rate in relation to Euro and the rise of imperialist political program and related hard China and India, the overall weight of which in form of integral fascism but also neo-liberal the global gross product is not at least yet political program without lapsing into decisive, though their existence has given the confrontations familiar from the Third ruling and governing classes a possibility to Eurocentric Civil War of 20 th century and in promote downward social development in the which peaceful co-existence of differing socio- rich countries, and in the context of continuing economic systems is possible. US global decline. Moreover, in 2000’s we can see ideological dogmatization (or “purification”) On the other hand, the ideological analysts of of all ideological-political varieties, oil price the Bush administration have proposed that the crisis and eagerness to develop alternative war they have started is a long 30-years war, or

© Historia Actual Online 2007 35 The First Real World War Petri Minkkinen a Long War, as suggested by General John On the other hand, as the renewed insistence on Abizaid, both prognoses which put temporal suitability of both military and civilian- limits on the war on terror and non-white others commercial nuclear utilization, with their which in George W. Bush’s initial view was abovementioned inter-changeability does not declared a temporarily unlimited eternal war 84 . support such a positive move towards surpassing In this case which is more in tune with the negative regressions, other more peaceful and prospect of the idea of long crisis period we find non-nuclear solutions should be preferred. There also in the world-systems analysis is neither enough historical evidence that temporalization (1914-1945) 85 , Wallerstein’s political or other social entities could resist the discussion on 50-years bifurcation period and temptation to use nuclear weapons or that civil- that of Wagar’s 86 , we may indeed end up having commercial nuclear utilization would be safe a Second Real World War, either in the context enough, nor enough natural scientific evidence of a continuing and intensifying FRWW, or as a supporting the benefits of either of these forms SRWW which could involve a Nuclear of nuclear utilization. On the other hand, we Holocaust – which, given the possibility of have evidence the human beings are capable of compression of time suggested here, may also improving and transforming the social take place during 2007, 2008 or 2009, in the conditions of their existence – even if one keeps case that the work of the proponents of civilian- in mind the multiple misgivings of such commercial and military nuclear utilization is attempts – as well as their abilities to invent allowed to continue, in which case also the alternative sources of energy – all of which, as FRWW could end up as a Nuclear Holocaust. noted, are by no means unproblematic – which have been and continue to be necessary for the One might consider a situation for which there human existence in one form or another, are certain grounds in the actual order of affairs independently of our views of the importance of that it is possible to go beyond the FRWW and economic growth and the socio-economic also the emerging Nuclear Holocaust. Given the conditions in the context of which this latter fact that around the world there are emerging question should be tackled with. However, in the alternatives and also those that are already been final analysis, the emerging Nuclear Holocaust put in practice at different degrees and varieties cannot be prevented unless all countries and and there is growing pressure for ending the other entities proceed with complete nuclear wars of occupation also in their initial source the disarmament. Moreover, in order to complete United States, and also abundant criticism of the military nuclear disarmament, it is necessary to practices of the war on terror and non-white proceed also with the complete civilian- others as well as neo-liberal and new imperialist commercial nuclear utilization disarmament, due political programs and related light and hard to the obvious link between these forms of forms of integral fascism, and also willingness nuclear utilization. Moreover, it is not possible to undo them, it may be possible that we may to prevent the escalation of conflicts between have a change to proceed towards a world order rich and poor countries or within countries in which the maintenance of social orders based without denouncing neo-liberal and new on single or only slightly differing modality is imperialist political programs as well as other not a necessity and the imposition of which is political programs which are targeted against not considered tolerable. This would also require internal and external others and especially non- ending the actual FRWW for otherwise we may white others and aim at preventing the equality face a renewed regression into the era of past between rich and poor or “us” and “them” Eurocentric Civil Wars, in which competing between and within countries. However, as social orders and their representatives fought suggested in this article, in the context of time wars against each others, but in a new global compression and putting time back on joint, the context in which these social orders are not emerging Nuclear Holocaust can be prevented necessarily any more based on Eurocentric and emancipative social transformations can be economic growth ideologies but more achieved without renewing more negative indigenous and area specific socio-economic regressions into the past. orders. In recent years and decades we have faced enough negative regressions to past – NOTES which is not to claim that all things in the past were bad – which allow us to suggest that it 1 Wallerstein I., After Liberalism . New York, The New Press, 1995, 90. would be highly recommendable to be able to 2 not face yet another such regression. Cit. Wagar, W., A Short History of the Future . Afterword by Immanuel Wallerstein,

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Chicago/London, The University of Chicago Press, declaration of the war on terror and non-white others. 1989, 104. In the case of Bush the younger, even if this state of 3 Wagar ,W., A Short History of the Future … op.cit. war was already declared, the issue of murdering 12-21. Castro as well as the whole “Cuba question” predates 4 Wagar ,W., A Short History of the Future … op. cit. it. Moreover, even if in the context of the declared 104-112. war on terror and non-white others, one were to 5 Wagar ,W., A Short History of the Future … op. cit. consider legitimate to assassinate a foreign head of 42, 112-121 & 132-133. state, this would make it equally legitimate to 6 Derrida, J., Specters of Marx. The State of the Debt, assassinate George W. Bush. However, as the the Work of Mourning, and the New International . definition of terrorism I presented did not strictly Translated from the French by Peggy Kamuf. New cover the heads of state, even if as such they can York/London: Routledge, 1994. often be considered, in the last instance, being 7 PNAC (The Project for a New American Century, responsible for military and paramilitary activities, 2000), Rebuilding America’s Defenses. Strategy, they could be considered representing non-civilian Forces and Resources For a New Century. A Report population. In this case, in the case we accept the of The Project for a New American Century . basic human right to live, especially after the act of September 2000, 51. Available from internet in: birth-giving, we must either abide this rule also in the . The establishment of the PNAC also purposeful violence between the took place in 1992 and some of the views represented abovementioned parts of asymmetric war. In any by this group were expressed by Richard Cheney and case, this opens up the question whether political Paul Wolfowich, inside Bush the younger violence can be accepted in some circumstances or administration from 2000, already at that time. whether it is unacceptable in all situations, and 8 PNAC (The Project for a New American Century, cannot be resolved in the context of this article. 2000), Rebuilding America’s Defenses … op. cit., 7. 15 Only case in which it would be possible to say that 9 On the discussion on the different sectors of US the war is only a civil war would be a situation in ruling classes, see e.g. Davis, M. “The New Right’s which the occupation army has withdrawn and all Road to Power,” New Left Review , 128, 1981; Gill S., other possible non-Iraqi elements are disengaged of American Hegemony and Trilateral Commission . this conflict. Even in this case it would be necessary Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1990. to admit that the war of occupation is the cause of 10 Though there is nothing new in the surveillance of civil war. opposition, internal and external “enemies”, the 16 Here one must remember that there was process of creation and recreation has been typical in accumulated internal disputes and hatred in Iraq – but by no means only – in the United States, in this before the II Iraq war. Here again one is not allowed particular case of internet surveillance, one can make to suppose that such accumulations would result only a comparison to the case of China. from strictly internal affairs: we must remember the 11 I presented this definition in Minkkinen, P. foreign imposed – even if UN allowed – embargo- “Sallimmeko terrorismin ja vastaterrorismin kierteen policies of 1990‘s and early 2000’s as well as the fact jatkumisen?”, Kansan Uutiset , August 11, 2005. that Hussein’s regime was an US ally during its war 12 Especially because the key political figure against Iran during the 1980’s and that foreign representing the social forces willing to impose this corporations were selling components for the kind of war, George W. Bush, cannot claim, due to weapons of mass destruction which Hussein’s regime the fraudulent US presidential election processes, used against it internal enemies. Among many other legitimate authority. related things one should also remember the highly 13 Especially due to the fact that usually only seldom complex international issue of the Kurds, a nation 100 percent vote in the elections, those making such without a state. decisions, quite often do not represent the majority of 17 See the discussion in the section , infra “The a given political entity. Emerging Nuclear Holocaust”. 14 If one wishes, this can be compared to the 18 See e.g. Minkkinen, P., “New Imperialism and discussion in which George W. Bush, who has Beyond. Why New Imperialism Will Fail and Unseat declared that any state harboring terrorists is terrorist, Bush Administration?”, Historia Actual On-Line , 4, and that from this it follows that the US harboring (2004), [Revista en línea] Disponible desde internet terrorists, is a terrorist state and that the person en: ; id., KAKTUS, Bush ja Pohjois-Amerikan this particular case of a television documentary the tulevaisuus. Kriittinen avointen historiallisten discussion was related to Cuba, and the US kontekstien tutkimus ja muutoksellinen politiikka . presidents protecting terror activity against the Cuban Helsinki, SRTY/Like, 2004. civilians as well as terrorism attempt in form of 19 Some are of the opinion that the Third Eurocentric attempts to murder Cuba’s leader Fidel Castro, it Civil War (also known as Cold War) did not end with must be remembered that in the case of Bush the the collapse of the Soviet Union, as it was defined senior, murder attempts were made before the more on terms of the war of global north against the

© Historia Actual Online 2007 37 The First Real World War Petri Minkkinen global south. In this case we could consider events ; Greenpeace USA, “The Link taking place e.g. in Somalia carrying on with the Between Nuclear Power and Nuclear Weapons,” elements involved in the Third Eurocentric Civil available from internet in War. However, even with such imports the present . According to the latter source, “Civilian defined above. In other words, there are elements of programs sprang from the perceived need to produce continuity and discontinuity. plutonium.” This latter point is of interest in 20 This is related not only to the forms of governance, contemporary situation in which there are power property and labor control, and human participation politics based allegations that Iran may use its adopted but also to the question of the so-called civilian-commercial nuclear energy development to human nature and the possibilities of human produce nuclear weapons, whereas no such concern development as individuals and as a species. These is present in the most of discussion of the governing questions will be tackled with in separate works. sectors of “international community” in relation to 21 For a deeper and broader discussion on integral such relation of nuclear development policies of e.g. fascism, its modalities and forms of existence in permanent UN Security Council Member-states. economic, political, social and cultural spheres see 28 This is, to be sure, also related to the question Minkkinen, P., “El fascismo integral globalizante y la whether we consider the state-system in itself recreación de la dominación de pocos a los muchos,” important and worth preserving and the opinions with Relaciones Internacionales, 2007.(de próxima this respect tend to vary considerably. aparición). 29 Equally unacceptable is the extreme Zionist view, 22 On the latter see the section, infra. “The Emerging that the Palestinians should be pushed beyond Jordan Nuclear Holocaust” below. River, thus finalizing the colonization or occupation 23 The new imperialist and hard form integral fascist Palestinian territories, formalized by the elements of which try to build a new hegemonic establishment of the state of Israel, in the context of consensus (in Gramsci’s meaning of hegemony) Euro-US sense of guilt due to the extermination of especially among the ruling and governing segments Jews during the Second Eurocentric Civil War. of other states and state-like entities. This proposition 30 See e.g. Calendar of Nuclear Accidents , available does not however imply either lasting success of this from internet in attempt or improving global position of the US, quite . Recently there has been discussion 24 Estimates of total death toll vary, one possible about the safety problems of Swedish nuclear plants, number being 13.364.500, which is the maximum and there have been nuclear reactor problems in estimate mentioned under the category “Total Deaths Finland, the native land of pro civilian-commercial from Nazi Genocidal Policies”, which covers not nuclear utilization Paavo Lipponen and in both of only the concentration camps proper but also for these countries, which supposedly have better safety- example internment and transit camps and ghettos, regulations and nuclear plants than in Russia, there and of which European Jews represent 5.600.000- has been worries about the nuclear safety in the latter 6.250.000, Soviet prisoners of war 3.000.000 and country. Polish Catholics 3.000.000.. Therefore, considering 31 See U.S. Nuclear Accidents , available from internet the conventional figure of 6.000.000, which covers in . the estimated death toll of Jewish victims 32 Especially this latter part clearly involves also underestimates the total death toll and represents at certain concern on the fate of the humanity, which least a partial holocaust denial. The Holocaust however, given that such thinking involves excessive Chronicle , available from internet in delimitation of human freedom, does not really differ military or commercial-peaceful nuclear utilization 25 It has been suggested that for example rats have with the prospect of Nuclear Holocaust, or any considerable preparedness for survival in extreme supporter of especially hard form integral fascism, conditions and it is possible that they could survive a whom supposedly protect human freedom by taking Nuclear Holocaust. it away from everyone. 26 The term nuclear reactions does not refer here at 33 “Prospects for an Expanding Nuclear Future: A those taking place in the sun, or similar “fixed stars”, Global Perspective,” Remarks by John Ritch, this term in itself being problematic given the Director General, World Nuclear Association, NEI commonly accepted view that the universe expands Fuel Cycle Conference, San Francisco, 2 April 2001, “away” from the “location” of the primary explosion, available from internet in . solar energy utilization. 34 “LEADER: Finnish start,” Financial Times , May 27 See The Acheson-Lilienthal Report. Report on the 27, 2002; Ritch, J., “Prospects for an Expanding… International Control of Atomic Energy, March 16, op. cit. 1946. Reproduced in

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35 See e.g., Heilbroner, R., The Worldly Philosophers. . Thinkers . Updated seventh edition, New York, Simon 43 See, e.g. European Round Table of Industrialists & Schuster (Touchstone), 1995; Tannenbaum, F., homepage, ; Escobar, J. Mexico. The Struggle for Peace and Bread . New “The Roving Eye. Bilderberg strikes again,” Asia York, Alfred A. Knopf, 1950; Minkkinen, P., Times Online , 10 May 2005, available from internet KAKTUS.. op. cit.; id., Meksikon 1900-luku. in Vallankumouksellisen maan politiikka, talous ja ; Mayeda, A. and McGregor, G. “VIP’s 36 Finland has, however, been active in the promotion arrivals marked by a discreet ‘B’,” The Ottawa of the control of external borders of EU and the Citizen , 9 June 2006, available from internet in interchange of “terrorist” information between the US and the EU, thus applying policies adopted also . by the US, especially in its new imperialist and hard 44 See “The Shell Sustainability Report 2005. form integral fascist phase, and Israel. Meeting the Energy Challenge,” available from 37 Which has itself utilized the framework provided internet in . internal non-white others and engaged in a war of 45 See e.g. Posada, M. et al., “Incesante alza del internal conquest in Chechnya, formally part of precio de la tortilla; llega hasta $ por kilo,” La Russia, and has interests to be defended also in the Jornada , 10 de enero de 2007; Ocampo Arista, S. “El broader context of Eurasia, the control of which has alza al precio de la tortilla podría detonar estallidos been aspired by the US new imperialists in order to sociales: UNORCA,” La Jornada , 27 de enero de influence the development of this area in itself as 2007; Gonzalez Amador, G. e Israel Rodríguez J., well as the development of the EU, Russia, China “Especulación, causa del aumento a tortillas: Ortiz,” and India. La Jornada , 12 de enero de 2007. Other possible 38 There are, of course, varying opinions on the causes mentioned were the neo-liberal policies of justification and legitimacy of both of these Mexico, NAFTA and speculation. All of these are conquests, a topic which cannot be discussed in a probably partially to blame: US producers and sufficiently broad manner in the context of this corporations control the majority of production and article. market and “free trade” and speculation together with 39 Various tribes or nations of what later become to the increasing demand for biofuel production are be known as Finns pushed the Saami people towards causes for an untenable situation. It is also interesting North to the areas that had been conceived by the to note that despite the claim involved in orthodox Romans as Ultima Thule. There has been discussion economics, free trade does not seem to lower food that (Ultima) Thule was located by the Greek and price. In relation to biofuel based demand, though Roman geographers in Iceland but also in the context Shell is not the only actor responsible for this, one of this discussion it is not ruled out that its location may here remember that Shell played an important could have been in Scandinavia, Shetland or even the role in a process in which foreign oil majors tried – Faroes, and thus also the Northern parts of and still do – to undermine the nationalization of Fennoscandia. Later in the context of crusades and Mexico’s oil assets after the Mexican revolution of expansion of Catholic form of Christianity the tribes 1910 (See e.g. Minkkinen Minkkinen, P., Meksikon or nations that we know now as Swedes conquered 1900-luku. Vallankumouksellisen maan politiikka, and inhabited especially the coastal areas of Finland. talous ja ulkopolitiikka . Helsinki, Gaudeamus, 2007. Magnusson, M. and Pálsson, H., The Vinland Sagas: Tulossa.). Moreover, with a reference to Finland, the The Norse Discovery of America. Grænlendiga Saga co-governing Centre Party has promoted biofuel and Eirik’s Saga. Translated with an introduction by production also in Finland which supports its base in Magnus Magnusson and Hermann Pálsson. London, countryside and at the same time the directors of Penguin Books,1965. 12. Finnish state oil firm Fortum, promoting biofuel 40 Minkkinen, P., “El fascismo integral… op. cit.; id. “revolution”, have received considerable option “The Politics of Exclusion and Repression and benefits, which is basically unearned income due to Beyond – U.S. North American Policies in the the fact that they have benefited from recent high oil Global Context,” Revista de Historia Actual , 4, 2006. prices, as has also Shell and other major oil 41 See e.g. “Iraq Coalition Troops,” available from corporations. internet in 46 See “ERT letter to Mrs Margot Wallström, . 2004, available from internet in 42 “Nueva ley petrolera iraqui permitirá la . explotación de crudo a Occidente”, La Jornada , 9 de 47 The most evident though by no means the only enero de 2007; Muttitt, G., Crude Oil Designs: The case being the Labour Party of Great Britain. Rip-Off of Iraq’s Oil Wealth , 2005. Available from 48 “Commission proposes an integrated energy and internet in: climate change package to cut emissions for the 21 st

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Century,” 10 January 2007, IP-07-29_EN-1.pdf, 63 In principle Iran has exactly the same right to available from internet in develop both commercial-civilian and military . nuclear utilization as any other country. However, as 49 The former has been deeply involved in the illegal it is pointed out in this article, the objective should be occupation of Iraq, whereas the latter has criticized it. to abandon both forms of nuclear utilization by all On the other hand, whereas all UN Security Council countries or similar entities, including all current permanent member-states possess nuclear weapons member-states of the UN Security Council. as ultimate weapons against those threatening their 64 Hersh, S. “The Iran Plans,” The New Yorker , position, and in the case of France, this has been also Annals of National Security, Issue of 17 April 2006, the ultimate guarantee against the possible rise of available from internet in Germany, though within the EU this issue has been . 50 See e.g. Minkkinen, P., “New Imperialism and 65 On the latter, see e.g. Parsons, R. J., “America’s Beyond... op. cit.; The representatives of neo- Big Dirty Secret,” Le Monde diplomatique , March Gramscian international/global political economy or 2002, available from internet in transnational historical materialism also acknowledge , in the US hegemonic decline but conceive its continuity which it is reported that depleted uranium is used in the context of trilateral or transnational hegemony. [not only in bullets but also] in bunker bombs. 51 Ibid. op. cit.; id. KAKTUS... op. cit.; id. “The 66 On the analysis contextualizing Armageddon Politics of Exclusion … op. cit. thinking, see Minkkinen, P., “The Politics of 52 See e.g. Bowes, P. “FBI probing ‘nuclear info Exclusion… op. cit. leak’,” BBC News , Los Angeles, 26 October 2006, 67 “China’s Anti-Satellite Missile Test Criticised,” available from internet in Financial Times , 19 January 2007; “China Missile , in which it is also 68 See e.g. Xuequan, M., “Russia: Missile Shied in reminded that some of the items found seems to be Eastern Europe is a US Threat,” Centre for Global from “the cutting-edge centre for nuclear weapons Research on Globalization , available from internet in research”, the Los Alamos National Laboratory, . including breaches in security”. 69 On the related discussion on the possible 53 See “EDITORIAL, Busywork for Nuclear development of technological base in UK and e.g. Scientists,” The New York Times , 15 January 2007. “establishment of a national space agency” see 54 “U.S. Selecting Hybrid Design for Warheads,” The Weston, A. “Parsimony and Piecemeal: What Future New York Times , 7 January 2007. Does Britain Have in Space?”, The Space Review , 8 55 For example I these assurances of safer though January 2007, available from internet in smaller nuclear arsenal, we can see real world . similarities to Wagar’s science-faction discussed 70 The Brown government has indicated its above. willingness to decrease the participation of British 56 See e.g. “Olmert’s Apparent Nuclear Admission,” forces in Iraq while at the same time there has been Al-Jazeera , 11December 2006. discussion on the increase of British participation in 57 See Roee Nahmias, “Mubarak Hints: We’ll the war efforts in Afghanistan. Develop Nukes,” Ynetnews , 5 January 2007, 71 See Wallerstein, I. “A Missile Defence Shield: available from internet in Crazy Idea or Rational Objective?”, Commentary No. . 3348600,00.html>. 72 See Oleg Shchedrov, “Putin Says Russia Will 58 Uzi Mahnaimi and Sarah Baxter, “Revealed: Israel Counter U.S. Missile Shield”, Reuters , April 27, Plans Nuclear Strike on Iran”, The Sunday Times , 7 2007. January 2007. 73 “Russian Army Official Says US Missile Shield Is 59 On its analysis in global context, see Minkkinen, Aimed at Russia”, Infowars.com , April 25, 2007, P., “The Politics of Exclusion… op. cit. available from internet in 60 “Egipto refuerza su frontera con Gaza ante . octubre de 2006. Baluyevsky was also of the opinion, that besides 61 “Iran Acts Over Israeli Nukes,” Al-Jazeera , 20 Russia, China is a target of the US missile shield December 2006. system. 62 UN Security Council. S/RES/1737 (2006) Non- 74 Väyrynen, R., The Waning of Major War. Theories proliferation . Adopted by the Security Council at its and Debates. London/New York, Routledge, 2006. 5612 th meeting, on 23 December 2006, available Various authors do however problematize the from internet in: concept of major war, also from the point of view of .

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Moreover, some authors are not so certain about the Economics in World-Historical Social Science,” waning of the major war in itself. Review , XXIX, 4, 2006. 323, Figure 4, in which a 75 See e.g. VandeHei, J. and Linzer, D. “U.S., India possible transition toward a Non-Imperial World- Reach Deal on Nuclear Cooperation,” Washington System is suggested. Post , March 3, 2006; Isachenkov, V. “Russia, India 84 See e.g. “The Long War,” November 17th, 2006, Cement Nuclear Ties,” Washington Post , 25 January Commander John Philip Abizaid and Ms. Sarah 2007. Sewall, speech in Harvard University, Institute of 76 Minkkinen, P., “The Politics of Exclusion… op. Politics, available from internet in cit. , in which is discussed also about the problematic. Even if the country has somewhat fight against Nazi’s and Bolsheviks. Besides this, functioning formal representative democracy, it is there has been a tendency to refer at Islamic hardly possible to conceive a country which has both radicalism or fundamentalism representing deeply embedded socially and ethnic-religionally “Islamofascism”, a convenient term for an attempt to excluded and repressed social sectors a democracy in legitimize partially all component wars of the any deeper and meaningful sense. From this FRWW and divert discussion from the new perspective, it is of course possible to suggest that in imperialism and hard form integral fascism our contemporary world – or in past world, for that represented by and in this case especially the US. matter – there are no really democratic countries (on Similar temporal thinking was present also in the this discussion see Minkkinen, P., “La abovementioned PNAC report of 2000. democratización de México en el contexto mundial,” 85 Wallerstein, I., “The Global Picture, 1945-90,” in Relaciones Internacionales , 72 (Octubre-Diciembre Hopkins, Terence K. and Wallerstein, Immanuel de 1996), 33-47). (coordinators), The Age of Transition. Trajectory of 78 “Corea del Norte realiza ensayo nuclear,” La the World-System, 1945-2025 . London/New Jersey, Jornada , 9 de octubre de 2006; Con Coughlin, “N Zed Books, 1996. 215; himself discusses 1914-1945 Korea Helping Iran With Nuclear Testing,” period also “as one long ‘thirty years’ war’”. Telegraph , January 26, 2007. Therefore the temporal horizon is similar though the 79 On the importance to develop non-imperialist UN related considerations on a preferred emerging social Rapid Deployment Forces and a decision-making order most likely are not. system on their use, the selection process of the 86 Wallerstein, I. After Liberalism… op. cit., 90; members of which would combine democratic and Wagar, W., A Short History of the Future … op.cit. expert selection, see Minkkinen, P., “The Decision- Making System of the United Nations Rapid Deployment Forces,” Alternatives , 2007(forthcoming). 80 “Ratifica Chávez compra de misiles ante un eventual ataque extranjero,” La Jornada , 2 de febrero de 2007. Mexico, which has experience with US military expansion, has in recent decades been active in promoting nuclear free Latina America and also demanded complete nuclear disarmament (see e.g. Minkkinen 2007c). At least Brazil has earlier been discussed to have nuclear development capabilities, which is, in fact, becoming increasingly commonplace. 81 Gramsci, A., Selections from Prison Notebooks . Edited and translated by Q. Hoare and G. Nowell Smith, London, Lawrence and Wishart, 1971. especially 275-276; see also Gill, S., “Theorizing the Interregnum: The Double Movement and Global Politics in the 1990s,” in Hettne, Björn (ed.), International Political Economy. Understanding Global Disorder . Halifax, Fernwood Books, 1995, 65; who has formulated Gramsci’s expression in a more optimistic way “The old is dying, the new is being born an21d in the interregnum there are many morbid symptoms.” 82 Minkkinen, P., KAKTUS... op.cit. 98. 83 See and compare ibid.; a similar kind of possibility can be found in Tamdgidi, M. H., “Toward a Dialectical Conception of Imperiality: The Transitory (Heuristic) Nature of the Primacy of Analyses of

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