Nuclear Brinkmanship: The Illusion of Arms Control
Last week’s expiration of the New START Treaty between the United States and Russia has prompted widespread media concern regarding an impending arms race. The Independent’s coverage, for example, emphasizes "fears of a new arms race" and the removal of "caps on their atomic arsenals for the first time in over 50 years.” This framing suggests a novel and dangerous shift in geopolitical stability.
However, a deeper examination reveals this development is not an anomaly, but rather the culmination of a systematic dismantling of arms control architecture by both nations since the early 2000s. Disregard for Treaties: A Consistent Pattern CASE A: The current narrative on US-Russia arms control The prevalent media discourse portrays Russia as the primary aggressor in the treaty's demise, often
citing its "suspension" of the New START Treaty in February 2023. While Russia’s actions are verifiable, this presentation frequently omits or downplays the reciprocal pattern of treaty withdrawals by the United States over the past two decades. For instance, the Independent's article focuses on the immediate expiration without substantial historical context beyond the 50-year mark. CASE B: The
historical record of US withdrawals from arms control agreements The United States initiated this trend of withdrawal much earlier. In December 2001, the George W. Bush administration unilaterally withdrew from the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty, a cornerstone of strategic stability since 1972 (Treaty Between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the