AUKUS Deal Breaches the NPT

by Stephen Lendman

Last week, the Biden regime and  imperial UK/Australian partners breached the letter and spirit of the landmark Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT).

US/UK nuclear submarine technology will be shared with (non-nuclear) Australia on the phony pretext of aiding the Morrison regime deter Indo/Pacific threats that don't exist.

The NPT permits exchange of civil nuclear technology "for peaceful purposes" exclusively.

It prohibits exchange of this technology with military applications in mind.

Nuclear submarines aren't produced and deployed for peacemaking.

They're used solely for military purposes.

Submarine nuclear reactor uranium is weapons-grade — enriched to 95% purity.

Exporting it to Australia by the US and UK escalates Indo/Pacific cold war tensions.

It increases the risk of things turning hot by accident or design — notably because of hegemon USA's rage to control a part of the world not its own in cahoots with imperial partners.

Only six nations have nuclear-powered submarines They're all nuclear weapons states.

The US and UK recklessly and illegally invited Australia to join their club — solely with challenging China in mind.

Last week, UK PM Boris Johnson falsely said AUKUS does not contravene the NPT.

Supplying weapon-grade uranium to a non-nuclear weapons state is a flagrant NPT breach.

Until now, Australia largely avoided involvement with Washington's anti-China policy.

As its largest trading partner, the country's leadership largely maintained good relations with Beijing. 

AUKUS sabotaged them. The Morrison regime shot itself in the foot.

Along with justifiably infuriating China, AUKUS "stabbed (France) in the back," according to its Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly — by arbitrarily cancelling a $66 billion deal for 12 French-made diesel-electric submarines.

In response, France recalled its US and Australian envoys for consultations.

According to Le Drian,"(t)his exceptional decision is justified by the exceptional gravity of the announcements made on 15th September by Australia and the United States," adding:

"The cancellation of the Attack class submarine program binding Australia and France since 2016, and the announcement of a new partnership with the US meant to launch studies on a possible future cooperation on nuclear-powered submarines, constitute unacceptable behavior between allies and partners, whose consequences directly affect the vision we have of our alliances, of our partnerships and of the importance of the Indo-Pacific for Europe."

Separately, a French source said "(w)e don't need to hold consultations with our (UK envoy) to know what to make of (AUKUS) or to draw any conclusions."

Beijing slammed the deal, its official People's Daily saying the following:

AUKUS is "irresponsible and dangerous."

It's "a blatant (NPT) violation."

It "undermine(s) global non-proliferation efforts and jeopardize(s) (regional) peace and stability."

By supplying Australia with weapons-grade uranium for nuclear-powered submarines, the US and UK are permitting its ruling authorities to use this technology "for military purposes" in the Indo/Pacific.

This step "will undoubtedly give rise to (regional) proliferation of nuclear materials and technologies."

Longstanding US policy "turn(ed) a blind eye as some of its (non-nuclear) imperial partners pursue nuclear technologies and weapons." 

At the same time, it unjustifiably slams "civilian nuclear projects of other countries."

Its double standards need no elaboration.

Exporting nuclear technology for military purposes is recklessly destabilizing geopolitical policy.

Last year, the Morrison regime announced a 40% increase in military spending to $200 billion over the next decade — with acquiring significant longer-range strike capabilities in mind.

Instead of prioritizing peace, stability and cooperative relations with regional and world community nations, Australia allied with Washington's drive for global hegemony — by whatever it takes to achieve its diabolical aims.

Separately, China's People's Daily called hegemon USA the world's "biggest saboteur of global stability."

Since its 1776 founding, it's waged war against one or more invented enemies in all but a few years.

Post-WW II, it preemptively launched over 80% of nearly 250 wars — 100% of major ones.

It maintains a global empire of bases with forever warmaking in mind — world peace and stability considered anathema notions by its ruling class.

According to historian Paul Atwood, US history reflects "constant wars of aggression and imperial expansion."

William Blum called US (fantasy) democracy its "deadliest export."

It illegally and recklessly meddles in the internal affairs of most all other nations — allies and adversaries alike.

It created and supports ISIS, al-Qaeda, and likeminded jihadist groups — using their fighters as proxy foot soldiers against nations where they're deployed by the Pentagon and CIA.

Its post-WW II warmaking alone is responsible for tens of millions of deaths, vast destruction, and unparalleled widespread human misery.

There's nothing benign, nothing democratic, nothing legal about its rage for global hegemony.

It's at war with its own people as well as against countless millions of others worldwide.

Its ruling class represents an unparalleled worldwide threat.

Biden regime recklessness exceeds the worst of its predecessors.

Historian Alfred McCoy believes its global superpower supremacy "could (be) over" by mid-decade — noting that when triumphs become defeats, "empires unravel" swiftly.

It can't happen a moment too soon.