I have keenly observed Donald Trump and his confrontation with North Korea's leader, Kim Jong-un. Unlike most observers, blinded by the controversy over nuclear weapons, a post-colonial African can read the struggle between imperialism and sovereignty that has dogged this controversy.
Ultimately, the imperialist (Trump) wins the battle as Kim promises to abandon his country's nuclear program, creating the latest example of how imperialism always subdues the struggle for sovereignty. That aside, the questions raised by Trump's victory are: is the rest of the non-nuclear world safe by the US and its nuclear company of friends having loads of atomic weapons? Are Western efforts to prevent the rest of the world from acquiring atomic weapons measures of safety or standards of maintaining imperialism?
Why should the non-nuclear countries believe that owning nuclear weapons is dangerous when the US and the West have stockpiles of atomic weapons with rumors of plans to increase and update them? The Trump-Kim controversy is a perfect example of imperialism at its best. It reminds me of Colonial Africa, when the Europeans enslaved Africans and used Christianity to quell African resistance by telling them that resistance and revenge were reserved for God. No wonder some people view Christianity with contempt as a colonial religion. The European imperial behavior is the same as the current nuclear controversy. The West expects the rest of the world to believe nuclear weapons are dangerous. Yet, they advance their nuclear military capabilities, which helps them maintain control and dominion over the world. Imperialism at its best!
Since time immemorial, imperialism has always been driven and maintained by militarism. This militarism is the reason for the impossibility of a third-world country gaining a seat at the UN Security Council, a body composed of militarist nuclear countries with veto powers on critical international decisions, such as war and peace. This militarism has continuously contributed to Western interference in developing countries. It is this Western militarism that the rest of the world should rise and oppose vehemently.
If nuclear weapons are dangerous, then they are harmful to all and sundry. If the US views the North Korean nuclear program as a threat to it, likewise, North Korea and the rest of the world should treat the US' atomic stockpile as a threat to the whole world.
A similar struggle between imperialism and freedom exists between Iran and Israel in the Middle East. It is shameful that the US and the European Union forced Iran to abandon its nuclear program while ignoring Israel's atomic stockpile. The fact is that the middle east can never be safe with every Arab knowing that the Jews have nuclear inventories that can wipe them out at any time. The US and European Union's failure to cut and eliminate Israel's nuclear capabilities only proves that they intend to establish Israel (their ally) as an imperial power in the middle east.
Suppose the US is honest about its desire to improve and maintain world peace. In that case, it should focus on reducing and eliminating its nuclear stockpile and encourage other atomic countries to do the same. Upon taking this action, the US can have a moral ground to convince potential nuclear nations that nuclear weapons are dangerous. Without the adoption of this recommendation, all the struggles that the US has with North Korea, Iran, and other potential atomic countries serve merely as evidence of United States imperialism in the post-colonial world.
Protest towards UN headquarters to push for nuclear disarmament
The nuclear world should appeal to South Africa's morality. She merely gave up nuclear weapons. In the 72nd United Nations General Assembly, President Zuma reaffirmed this commitment to a nuclear-free South Africa by stating that no hands are safe with weapons of mass destruction, not the US, nuclear Europe, India, China, or Pakistan.
The West cannot keep fooling the rest of the world that nuclear weapons are safe with them but dangerous to others. We came from a history of the Third Reich, slavery, imperialism, and colonialism. Unfortunately, the existence of nuclear weapons maintains the elements of this dark past. It is time for the US and other nuclear countries to walk the talk by reducing and eliminating nuclear weapons.
I eagerly await the day the US and Britain destroy their nuclear stockpiles. I long for the day Russia destroys its world's largest atomic weapon arsenal. I long for the day when world leadership genuinely focuses on world peace. I long for the day when imperialism comes to an end. I long for Western nations to realize that authentic and successful leadership stems from exercising self-accountability before looking at others.
The day has dawned for nuclear countries to blow their "Trumpets" in a musical way towards the values of unity‚ peace‚ togetherness, and dialogue, as stated by President Mugabe in the 72nd UN General Assembly.
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