Cold War and National Security: Article Analysis Essay

Introduction

The article under review was authored by Paul Sonne and appeared in the Washington Post on February 2, 2018. The article focuses on the latest developments regarding the national security of the United States. Primarily, it captures the contents of a new nuclear arms policy pursued by the Pentagon to protect the country from external aggression. The new policy is a culmination of the Trump administration which has made clear its intention to increase stockpiles of the country’s nuclear weapons as a deterrent measure against potential nuclear attacks.

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The decision by Pentagon to enlarge the country’s arsenal relates to the Cold Era. It is Pentagon’s action is a response to the growing perception among top security echelons that Russia, China, and North Korea are accumulating nuclear weapons, putting the national security of the United States at risk. It connects with the Cold Era because Russia was the dominant member of the collapsed USSR. As history records, there were occurred several conflicts between the United States and the USSR which were manifested in the form of a massive accumulation of weapons. China and North Korea were important allies of the USSR during the Cold War period.

What is happening today as demonstrated by Sonne’s article is history repeating itself. After the end of the Second World War, bitter suspicions between the United States and the USSR (Russia being the dominant remnant of the block) emerged. These suspicions resulted in a huge accumulation of nuclear arms in the United States and USSR. Despite the collapse of the USSR in 1991, conflicting expansionist ideals between Washington and Moscow have always been displayed openly, further increasing suspicions over potential threats to each other. The decision pursued by Pentagon is motivated by these long-standing suspicions between the two countries.

The Second World War played a vital role in leading to the issue that has been featured in the article. The war ended the reign (which had lasted for more than two centuries) of Britain as the world superpower. As a result, the United States and USSR emerged as the leading powers of the world. As each attempted to stamp its authority on global order, conflicts arose, culminating in the Cold War. It is the Cold War that built suspicions between the two countries.

The current events inform the reader that the issues of the past will always have a significant impact on the decisions of today. It appears that Moscow has grievances against the United States that originate from the Cold War era. The role the US played in the disintegration of the USSR remains to be a serious grievance cherished in Russia. In other words, the past appears to have been a loss to Russia and gain to the US, hence the current stand-off.

The event highlighted in the article is likely to lead to the proliferation of nuclear arms in the future. It can be expected that the geopolitics of the Cold War are likely to resurface as more countries acquire capabilities of developing nuclear weapons. Russia is expected to equip its allies with these capabilities, and this is likely to spur another confrontation with the United States. As China emerges as a strong economic and military power, the competition for influence in Asia and other parts of the world would intensify. The influence of the US over Asian politics is likely to be under real threat.

Conclusion

From a personal perspective, the current events are connected to the political influences of Russia and the United States. It is not about the security threat Russias accumulation of weapons poses on the United States rather, is the threat the United stands to lose in Asia as a result of the political activities of Russia. All these vents are connected to the Cold War and emphasize the two countries’ unending desire to control global politics through armament.

References

Sonne, P. (2018). Pentagon unveils new nuclear weapons strategy, ending Obama-era push to reduce U.S. arsenal. The Washington Post [Washington].