Where an arms race begins, war often ensues. Although superpowers consider nuclear weapons to be weapons of destruction, none is willing to back down. The competition for dominance over new colonies in Europe and around the world created favorable conditions for the 19th-century arms race. The massive increase in arms production led to a sense of insecurity and fear worldwide. All this made war inevitable. Excessive weapons drive countries to war. If there are weapons on one side, there will be weapons on the other as well. Who doesn’t know that the superpower America and the once-undivided Russia (Soviet Union) stockpiled nuclear and conventional weapons during the Cold War? In the current era, a destructive arms race has once again begun. US President Donald Trump’s new claim has not only shocked the world but has also raised new concerns by announcing that he will resume nuclear testing himself.
Trump has claimed that Pakistan, China, Russia, and North Korea are secretly testing nuclear bombs. Therefore, it has become necessary for the United States to conduct nuclear tests. Surprisingly, Trump, claiming to have stopped several wars and was seeking the Nobel Peace Prize, has now suddenly ordered his Defense Department to conduct a nuclear test. The United States is rejoining the nuclear testing race after 33 years. In 1996, then-President Bill Clinton imposed a moratorium on nuclear testing to end the nuclear bomb-making race. It’s difficult to say how much truth and how much lies in Trump’s claims, but there’s no doubt that many countries are engaged in an arms race and increasing military spending. The Russia-Ukraine war continues. Despite a ceasefire, the Israel-Hamas conflict shows no signs of ending. Thousands are dying. Millions have been displaced. Women and children are suffering the most from wars. The situation that is unfolding clearly demonstrates how the so-called civilized world can choose the path of peace for the sake of humanity.
Wars throughout history and their consequences have proven that war is not a solution to any problem, but rather a problem in itself. Hardly anyone seems to support war in principle, but under different pretexts, most countries maintain high defense spending, citing threats from other countries as a necessary factor in the massive increase. Then begins the arms procurement process, often at the expense of other vital national interests. There’s no doubt that national defense should be of paramount importance, but it’s surprising that many countries, claiming to be more civilized, peaceful, and developed, instead of taking concrete steps toward peace, engage in the purchase and sale of deadly weapons used in war. The question is, if weapons of mass destruction are purchased or manufactured on a large scale, what will be their intended use and what will be the consequences? If we look at the number of nuclear bombs possessed by all nine nuclear powers, the figures are daunting. Russia possesses the largest number of nuclear bombs, with 5,459. The United States is second with 5,177 nuclear bombs. China is third with 600 nuclear bombs, followed by France with 290, the UK with 225, India with 180, Pakistan with 170, Israel with 90, and North Korea with 50.
Today, the nature of wars has changed. Destructive weapons are being developed one after another. Russia tested a nuclear-powered cruise missile and a nuclear-powered torpedo just last week. China is also continuously testing missiles. The United States ushered in the nuclear age with the testing of a 20-kiloton nuclear bomb in 1945 and defeated Japan in World War II by dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945. As far as India is concerned, the nuclear age is changing. India has not conducted a nuclear test since 1998. India has been a strong supporter of nuclear disarmament. The whole world knows that Pakistan’s nuclear bomb was a stolen nuclear bomb. Pakistan constantly threatens India with nuclear weapons. Pakistan’s policy is that it can use nuclear weapons first if it feels its security is threatened. India’s policy is that it will not use nuclear weapons first. Superpowers have reserved their right to develop nuclear weapons but have prevented other countries from conducting nuclear tests. If the United States conducts a nuclear test, other countries may also do so in their own security interests. If India’s neighbors, China and Pakistan, conduct nuclear tests, it will be necessary for India to complete its preparations. In the current era, an arms race will make the world dangerous.
