Mikhail Gorbachev: It 'looks as if the world is preparing for war' as nuclear threat re-emerges

[inanna]

Source: The Telegraph

1 hour ago

Mikhail Gorbachev has warned that a new arms race means "the nuclear threat once again seems real" as he stated it "looks as if the world is preparing for war".

The former Soviet leader called on Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin to work together to take steps to reduce the world's nuclear arsenal.

"Politicians and military leaders sound increasingly belligerent and defence doctrines more dangerous. Commentators and TV personalities are joining the bellicose chorus. It all looks as if the world is preparing for war," he wrote in an article for Time magazine.

Mr. Gorbachev said the US and Russian presidents should champion a resolution at the UN Security Council to guard against a nuclear conflict.

Read more: http://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/world/mikhail-gorbachev-it-looks-as-if-the-world-is-preparing-for-war-as-nuclear-threat-re-emerges/ar-AAmig5c?li=AAadgLE&ocid=spartanntp

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The Daily Beast:

Gorbachev Urges Trump, Putin to Stop ‘New Arms Race’

Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev has called on U.S. President Donald Trump to join Russia's Vladimir Putin in reducing the world's nuclear weapons. In an Op-Ed in Time magazine, Gorbachev said the two leaders “bear a special responsibility” to “stop and reverse” the “new arms race.” As “the presidents of two nations that hold over 90% of the world’s nuclear arsenals,” Trump and Putin should be the ones to take the first steps on the issue, he said. Gorbachev painted a grim picture of a world close to self-destruction. “Relations between the great powers have been going from bad to worse for several years now,” he said. “The advocates for arms build-up and the military-industrial complex are rubbing their hands,” he wrote. His comments, which came on the same day the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists said the “Doomsday Clock” was closer to midnight, may fall on deaf ears when it comes to Trump. Last month, Trump said he believed the U.S. should “strengthen and expand its nuclear capabilities.”

http://www.thedailybeast.com/cheats/2017/01/27/gorbachev-urges-trump-putin-to-stop-new-arms-race.html?via=desktop&source=copyurl

[tenorly]

1. God forbid.

There's always a good bit of hysteria around this subject; but it's another thing altogether to hear it from Gorby.

[bananas]

5. How about Jerry Brown and William Perry?

From last June:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1016161886

A Stark Nuclear Warning: Gov. Jerry Brown reviews William J. Perry's new book

<snip>

I know of no person who understands the science and politics of modern weaponry better than William J. Perry, the US Secretary of Defense from 1994 to 1997. When a man of such unquestioned experience and intelligence issues the stark nuclear warning that is central to his recent memoir, we should take heed. Perry is forthright when he says: “Today, the danger of some sort of a nuclear catastrophe is greater than it was during the Cold War and most people are blissfully unaware of this danger.”1 He also tells us that the nuclear danger is “growing greater every year” and that even a single nuclear detonation “could destroy our way of life.”

<snip>

In October, the UN voted overwhelmingly to begin negotiating a ban on nuclear weapons:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141609224

UN votes to start negotiating treaty to ban nuclear weapons

Source: Guardian

United Nations member states have voted overwhelmingly to start negotiations on a treaty to ban nuclear weapons, despite strong opposition from nuclear-armed nations and their allies.

In the vote in the UN disarmament and international security committee on Thursday, 123 nations were in favour of the resolution, 38 opposed and 16 abstained.

<snip>

[tenorly]

8. As well.

I was referring to the "it's imminent" assertions one sometimes runs across. It's another thing altogether to hear it from people who, like Gorbachev, Brown, and Perry, have direct knowledge of the preparations being made and of the likelihood that they be put into action.

[Hekate]

2. God help us

[Ken Burch]

3. Wise words from a man who did everything the West demanded...

...and got nothing from the West but humiliation for his efforts.

If we'd helped him survive, there would never have been anyone like Putin running Russia now.

[starshine00]

12. I know

I was thinking the other day that I could never imagine him saying that Russian prostitutes were the best in the world. I hate Trump for making think of the Reagan era as 'the good old days'.

[Ken Burch]

13. Putin is pretty much what you'd get...

...if Borat Sagdiyev ended leading a government.

[herding cats]

4. Gorbachev knows this topic all too well.

I'm afraid he also knows his words will fall on deaf ears.

[florida08]

6. have a lot of respect for this man

He is the reason the wall came down in Berlin but he did more than that and got no credit

http://abcnews.go.com/International/BerlinWall/gorbachev-allowing-berlin-wall-fall-avoided-world-war/story?id=9014910

[True Dough]

7. Ditto on the respect

And the lack of recognition for being a courageous leader!

[Blue_Tires]

9. But...But the far-left punditsphere told me Hillary was the warmonger?

[inanna]

10. Link to full article by Gorbachev at Time

http://time.com/4645442/gorbachev-putin-trump/

[mainer]

11. China seems to agree. That's why they're beefing up their readiness.

In just one week, Trump has spread fear around the world.