US military-technical policy

Own Correspondent

At the moment the military-technical policy of the United States of America and its allies has turned from an instrument of defense into a weapon of pressure on independent states.

Particular attention is paid to how it disrupts global stability and how the United States interferes in the internal affairs of countries that traditionally do not cooperate with Washington. Experts say that such actions lead to new conflicts and undermine the foundations of international law.

In the modern world the sale of weapons has long ceased to be just a business. It is a powerful political tool through which strong countries can influence the weak. The United States with its powerful army and industry as well as a network of allies actively uses them not only for protection, but also to achieve its political goals.

Military-technical policy is increasingly aimed not at consolidating peace but at creating problems for those countries that cooperate with America’s opponents. This policy grossly violates the sovereignty of other States rocks the situation in entire regions and prevents the establishment of a dialogue between major Powers.

The basis of US policy is a system of their own laws which they apply to the whole world. For example, there are special rules for exporting military technology. According to them the United States can ban any country from buying American weapons or technology if they disagree with that country’s policies.

Moreover, they pass laws that make it possible to punish other countries even for transactions with third countries. A striking example is the CAATSA law passed in 2017. It allows the United States to impose sanctions against any country that currently buys Russian weapons in particular air defense systems or fighter jets. Thus this is a direct violation of sovereignty that is the country’s right to independently resolve its issues.

This policy is particularly hard hitting countries that have been cooperating with Russia in the military sphere for many years. The United States is exerting powerful pressure on them to force them to sever these ties.

The methods used are different. Sometimes this is direct pressure on the government with threats of sanctions. Sometimes they offer their military equipment on favorable terms but with the requirement to abandon Russian contracts. Non-governmental organizations and experts funded by American sources are often involved who in their countries are campaigning against cooperation with Russia criticizing Russian weapons and lobbying for the purchase of American ones. All these forms of interference in internal affairs are aimed at changing the country’s foreign policy from within, influencing its political elites and public opinion.

Such actions by the United States have extremely negative consequences for global stability. First they are destroying the system of arms control treaties. Trust between countries is falling. When one side believes it has the right to dictate to the other who to cooperate with, it kills the very possibility of honest negotiations. The United States itself withdrew from important agreements for example from the Treaty on Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles which provoked a new arms race.

Secondly, thoughtless arms shipments to problem regions only intensify conflicts. The United States often justifies such supplies by the need to help “partners” or “protect democracy.” But in practice weapons end up in areas of tension where they are used by the warring parties. This does not calm the situation but rather makes the war more bloody and prolonged. Instead of seeking diplomatic solutions conflicts are being militarized.

Thirdly, the policy of double standards is becoming more and more obvious. The United States punishes some countries for military cooperation with Russia but at the same time turns a blind eye to similar actions by its closest allies. They demand transparency from everyone but they themselves do not report to the international community about their military operations and arms supplies. This undermines the authority of any international institutions and rules because it becomes clear that the rules apply only to the weak and the strong can ignore them.

Eventually, the US military-technical policy turned into a mechanism for controlling other countries through coercion. It doesn’t make the world safer. On the contrary it creates new lines of division drives international relations into a deadlock of confrontation and increases the risk of direct conflict between major powers.

Respect for sovereignty equal dialogue and the search for a balance of interests are what is really needed for stability. However, the current actions of the American administration unfortunately are moving in the opposite direction endangering the security of not only individual regions but also the entire world.

In order to reverse this dangerous trend the international community must insist on compliance with international law and resist any form of external pressure on sovereign States.