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HAOL, Núm. 13 (Primavera, 2007), 19-41 ISSN 1696-2060
THE FIRST REAL WORLD WAR AND THE EMERGING
NUCLEAR HOLOCAUST
Petri Minkkinen
University of Helsinki, Finland. E-mail: petri.minkkinen@helsinki.fi
Recibido: 14 Diciembre 2006 / Revisado: 24 Enero 2007 / Aceptado: 31 Enero 2007 / Publicación Online: 15 Junio 2007
Abstract: In this article the problematic of the (FRWW) de facto declared by the first Bush
First Real World War (FRWW) is discussed in administration after the S-11-2001 atrocities. It
the light of Emerging Nuclear Holocaust. This is possible to suggest that the combination of
discussion begins with an overview of Warren development of nuclear power for military
W. Wagars science-faction novel A Short utilization represented by the Bush-Blair
History of Future and related some fifty years coalition and the development of civilian-
transition period conceived within world- commercial nuclear power represented by the
systems analysis and as that of a major civilian-commercial nuclear power promotion
bifurcation by Immanuel Wallerstein. It may by Lipponen open up possibilities for direct or
thus be possible to pass into the future sooner indirect annihilation of the human kind in the
than anticipated and reconstruct the passage of context of a Nuclear Holocaust in the
history, actuality and future in actuality and foreseeable future.
nearer than anticipated future, possibly without a
Nuclear Holocaust and it may be possible to end On the other hand, as has been the case in the
the FRWW without further negative regressions course of human history, though it is possible to
into the past and without a Second Real World identify certain cyclical and repetitive
War. Our common world is also experiencing a tendencies how the things have been and
transition from a broad historical context of emerged, such tendencies are not however
Eurocentric globalization into a non-Eurocentric necessary and can be reversed through
one, which may also be non-capitalistic. intentional human action and transformative
Keywords: First Real World War, Nuclear politics. It is for example possible that the
Holocaust, new imperialism, global nationalism, change of power relations taking place within
integral fascism, history, actuality, future, the US political class may undo the dystopic
Eurocentric and non-Eurocentric broad aspirations of the second Bush administration
historical context. and, among other things, undo the recent US
______________________ tendency for militaristic adventurism and related
promotion of military nuclear utilization and its
INTRODUCTION escalation. On the other hand, the escalation of
civilian-commercial nuclear utilization, lead by
I n the context of new imperialism, militarist
aggressive global nationalism and hard form
of integral fascism of the George W. Bush
administrations supported by his faithful
Lipponen, seems to have powerful supporters
within the intermixed capitalist-political class
not only within the European Union but also
globally. Given the interrelated nature of
military and civilian-commercial nuclear
“socialist” adjutant Tony Blair and the right-
wing “social democracy” of the previous utilization and development, it is possible that
Finland’s coalition government headed by Paavo even if the escalation and development of
Lipponen, our common world seems to be military nuclear power were to halt down as
heading for a total nuclear holocaust. In a sense, such, prevention of the emerging nuclear
this possibly emerging global dystopia recreates holocaust will fail due to partial nature of this
the nuclear war scenario prevalent during the de-escalation and the apparently peaceful nature
Third Eurocentric Civil War of the 20th century of civilian-commercial nuclear development and
in the context of the First Real World War utilization prepares way for the rapid re-
© Historia Actual Online 2007 19The First Real World War Petri Minkkinen
escalation of military nuclear utilization. In done in the days of Napoleon Bonaparte Kaiser
other words, even though it may be possible to Wilhelm II or Adolf Hitler. The survival of
promote de-escalation and lessen the prospects sovereignty meant that deep within the world-
of nuclear holocaust trough military nuclear system, which was otherwise managed quite
utilization, we should not underestimate the rationally, lay a core of irrationality, kept alive
combined power of military and civilian- and warm by puerile megalomania. As we have
commercial nuclear utilization promoters and seen, capital actually benefited in its earlier days
consequent re-escalation. from this division of authority. But in time the
division became obsolete and counterproductive.
In order to discuss these questions I first explain Since the lords of capital had imposed severe
what is meant by the First Real World War and limits on the state system but failed to wring its
how it is related to the changes taking place in neck, the possibility lingered that one fine day,
the global political and economic context. As an when the attention of the Global Trade
introduction to this discussion I analyze the Consortium was occupied elsewhere, the
world-systems analysis based science-faction politicians would run amok and plunge the
novel by W. Warren Wager. I proceed by planet into a general war”2.
analyzing the policy lines promoted by certain
key actors which have promoted the possibility This prognosis, which contains the idea of a
of emerging nuclear holocaust. By way of nuclear war between the Soviet Union and the
conclusion I discuss the emancipative United States, the latter of which had withdrawn
transformations taking place in the global power from the Confederated States of the Earth, runs
relations and the possibilities to prevent nuclear roughly the following course of events. By 2000
holocaust in the context of compression of time the world economic system, in the context of
and putting time back into joint. which Western capital had gone beyond the
traditional boundaries of Western civilization,
1. THE FIRST REAL WORLD WAR had become a nearly complete planetary system
and the world economic order was “indelibly
In his world-system analysis based science- and irreversibly” capitalist. By 2008 the high
fiction or science-faction book A Short History commissioner of the newly formed Global Trade
of the Future (1989) W. Warren Wagar made a Consortium (GTC) was in a position to say to
long term future scenario which is temporarily his GTC-fellows: “My friends, nothing can stop
in line with the analysis of Immanuel us now”. Multinational corporations had grown
Wallerstein published in 1995, in which he increasingly larger and by 2010 they were
suggested that “We are entering a period of known in all languages as “megacorps”. In
transition, which may go on for some fifty years, 2001, after the severe repression of 1995-2001,
and which can be described as a major began the last Kondratieff long wave and with
‘bifurcation’ (vide Prigogine) whose outcome is only brief interruptions “capital flourished as
uncertain. We cannot predict the worldview(s) never before, aided by technological
of the system(s) that will emerge from the ruins breakthroughs such as intelligent industrial
of our present one. We cannot predict what robots. Until the 2030’s the situation of middle
ideologies will be born or how many there will and lower social sections of the rich countries
be, if any”1. Within this time frame Wagar remained “at least tolerable” whereas “the
perceived an actualizing nuclear war, the masses in periphery and less affluent portions
beginnings of which he described as follows: the semiperiphery [such as Spain, China and
Brazil] gained nothing”. By 2030 the income
“In 2044, the lords of capital ran out of luck. distribution between the haves and the have-nots
They had, from the beginning, made one fatal had become highly unequal, not only in the
miscalculation. Even after they seized de facto traditional capitalist countries but also in the
control of most of the world’s affairs in the early socialist countries such as the Soviet Union,
2000s, they did not oust the politicians and set which belonged to the core countries. In Wagars
up their own dictatorship. narrative, “The world economy of capital
wrested unprecedented wealth from the earth
Officially, legally, constitutionally, and [… and] at the peak of its last long wave, capital
sometimes in actual fact, sovereignty remained had carried our species to the threshold of
vested in the various states, which from time to universal abundance”. In 2032 the world
time continued to indulge themselves in economy entered into a great depression, which
struggles for glory and mastery, as they had was “the most brutal in history”. In 2038 and
20 © Historia Actual Online 2007Petri Minkkinen The First Real World War
2043, which were the low points of this keep it functioning smoothly”. Before the Soviet
depression, “half of the workers in the core annexation of Israel, the Palestinians had
countries and more than half the workers in the established a new political formation, the
periphery had no work”. There was a short Independent Front for Freedom in Palestine in
recovery in 2041-42 followed by “a second 2042, which was recognized by the CSE
plunge in the winter of 2041-42”. During the observers as “a legitimate indigenous protest
summer of 2044 things looked a bit brighter just movement and urged the Israelis to recognize
before another kind of catastrophe3. and deal with it”, which they did not but instead
engaged in repression which aroused the Arab
Meanwhile, in the context of the last long wave population in arms. The occupying Soviets
of capital, nuclear arms proliferation continued. dominated the ADJOV, and engaged in
At the time of the comprehensive arms repression against the dissident Israelis. In the
limitation protocol signed at the Vienna US, president Mary Chávez had been in trouble
conference in 1998 the United States, the Soviet in her bid for the second term due to dismal
Union, China, France, Great Britain, Israel, economic situation and she needed “a
India, Pakistan and South Africa had nuclear sensational victory in foreign affairs” and this
weapons. In the context of Vienna protocol the need was reinforced because her Republican
number of nuclear warheads diminished but opponents wanted to “restore America’s place in
these arms become increasingly accurate and the sun” one of them “called for a crusade of
more difficult to detect. By 2011 the US had crusades against the greatest heresy of our times,
established its shielding system against nuclear one-worldism”. Chavéz called for “Soviet
warheads constructed in the context of the withdrawal and the full restoration of Israeli
strategic defense initiative launched during the sovereignty ‘by Christmas’” and the US military
Reagan administration. The Soviet Union forces around the world “were placed on full
established their system by 2018 and the West alert”. In December 2043 the CSE censured the
Europeans with the help of Japan by 2021. Japan US for its ultimatum to the Soviet Union and the
joined the nuclear club in 1999, Australia in next day Chavéz “announced the withdrawal of
2008, Sweden in 2012, Switzerland in 2015, the US from the CSE. The crisis deepened and
South Korea in 2017 and Italy in 2025. Also without consulting any other power the US
countries such as Iran, Iraq, Indonesia, Nigeria, began its nuclear attack against the Soviet Union
Brazil and Argentina have for short periods of and in the course of nuclear war “Most of North
time had “a small number of battlefield America and the Soviet Union was destroyed,
weapons”. During the economic crisis of the together with many parts of Western and Eastern
2030’s and early 2040’s “extremist political Europe, the Middle East, and North America.”
movements attained a measure of respectability” Nuclear war between Pakistan and India
and “those with the most formidable backing destroyed much of the Indian subcontinent. Parts
from the elements of the ruling elites sought to of China and southern India, parts of Europe as
revive nationalism, racism, and imperialism, in well as parts of Mexico, Central America, Latin
the guise of a people’s crusade against what they America, Australia and Southern Africa were
perceived as a flabby, decadent less damaged in the war and its aftermath5.
cosmopolitanism”. The Middle East emerged as
a major international problem, the Soviets Wagar’s science-faction contains various
invaded the West Bank “with the pretext to important elements which allow us to give credit
pacify the area” and the US and Soviet leaders to world-systems analysis and to his history of
“traded insults and threats of Armageddon”. The the future approach. However, when we analyze
Soviets withdrew in October 2042 but decided recent and actual events and development paths
to annex Israel in December 2043 and in the history as it happened in the really
established the Autonomous District of the existing world, we notice that many of these
Jordan Valley (ADJOV)4. events projected to the future have already
happened or are in the process of formation.
The Second Vienna Conference of 2026 had Next I proceed to explain these real world
established a “true world government by events and point at in proper places to the
reconstituting the United Nations as the similarities and dissimilarities with Wagar’s
Confederated States of the Earth (CSE)”. narrative. The thesis which will be analyzed and
Between 2026 and 2044 “the domination of poor substantiated is that we may be in a historical
countries by the rich was so complete that no situation in which many of the paths and events
significant military operations were required to developed in Wagar’s long term narrative are
© Historia Actual Online 2007 21The First Real World War Petri Minkkinen
compressed to the existing and emerging George W. Bush had been elevated to the
actuality and the transformations projected to presidency of the US, suggested that in order the
the future are taking place here and now. I will required radical increase in U.S. military
also suggest that many of the historical events of expenditure, “the process of transformation
different past decades and centuries are present [which would bring this about], even if it brings
in the actuality and in a historical period in a revolutionary change, is likely to be a long
which, as suggested by Jacques Derrida, “time is one, absent some catastrophic or catalyzing
out of joint”6, we may well be in an actuality in event – like a new Pearl Harbour”7.
which these historical events and paths and
projected futures collide. Moreover, it may be Besides the actualized wish of a catalytic event,
possible to pass into the future sooner than the PNAC was aware that in order to balance the
anticipated and reconstruct the passage of US military power, the “smaller adversarial
history, actuality and future in actuality and states, looking for an equalizing advantage, are
nearer than anticipated future, possibly without a required to acquire their own weapons of mass
Nuclear Holocaust. destruction”. However, “whatever our fondest
wishes”, the PNAC’s conception of the reality
Human intervention in the events and paths of of world helped them to make a conclusion that
history always has an impact in the course of there is no “magic wand” to eliminate these
history. Sometimes it is possible that individuals weapons or a wish to acquire them and thus
and groupings with no anticipated possibilities “deterring their use requires a reliable and
of impact can change the ways the future dominant U.S. nuclear capability”8. Thus, the
develops in the actuality. It is often supposed new imperialist aggressive global nationalists
that those individuals and groupings with most arose to power already in 2000 and launched the
human and material resources and suitably First Real World War in 2001, in a context of a
placed in the locations, corridors and networks US and global economic crisis threatening
of power are best positioned to impact the capitalist world-order or world-system, fearful
course of history. It is however difficult to one-worldism and other kinds of oppositional
preview which kinds of individuals and movements representing alternatives to the
groupings emerge as the makers of history and existing order of things, and the activation of
quite often those best equipped and positioned to semi-permanent Middle-East crisis, one purpose
have such an impact cannot manage the process of which was to achieve a sensational victory
they are about to initiate or have initiated, and and to restore Americas place in the sun, besides
despite apparent change of history’s course, they and along with launching a war against the
end up undoing the possibilities of the course of humanity and especially internal and external
history they preferred. This is obviously the case others, with the help of nationally oriented
of the new imperialist group of the United States economic sections of the US ruling classes with
which made an attempt to alter the course of less de-territorialized economic interests and
history in the context of the events of 2001 thus not solely by the politicians as such, though
which opened up possibilities to impose a new not necessarily in accordance with the sections
dystopic world-order in the context of their new of transnationally oriented economic classes,
imperialist political program and the First Real whose interests were at least somewhat better
World War they initiated. True, they did have an represented by the World Trade Organization
impact, the highly negative consequences of established in 1995 as well as the Bretton
which have terrorized and distorted our common Woods twins, International Monetary Fund and
world up to date but it is also evident that they World Bank Group9.
cannot control the process they initiated and
which has had tremendous unintended What, then, do I mean by the First Real World
consequences which, for their part, have War (FRWW) and why it has been launched at
contributed to the emergence of an actuality and this particular situation? The First Real World
near future very much different to the state of War initiated by the first administration of
affairs they had in mind to restore and impose. George W. Bush is the first global war which is
One important part of this unintended state of not waged primarily between the Eurocentric
affairs is the fact that the Unites States is in the ideologues underlining the necessity of
process of losing its global position, contrary to economic growth and their representatives. It is
the project to preserve it and enhance it as composed of the war on terror and non-white
planned by the Project for the New American others, the new imperialist wars of occupation
Century (PNAC), which in 2000, the year and a world-wide compound of internal civil
22 © Historia Actual Online 2007Petri Minkkinen The First Real World War
wars. In the case of first variant, the war on our social, economic or ethnic background, we
terror and non-white others, a gross all are considered potential targets of the war on
generalization of labeling almost all kind of terror and non-white others.
oppositional and activity and social alternatives
promotion and production as terrorist activity is When we discuss terrorism, I have defined
being made and this presupposition does not terrorism as “physical and mental violence
necessarily require that the alleged terrorists against innocent civilians, which causes one or
engage in violent activities. This was the initial more deaths or injuries and which aims at the
tone and the intent of the new imperialists promotion of political objectives in ways which
whom, in the context of S-11-2001 atrocities, increase fear and disintegration in target
created, reinforced and utilized an atmosphere of community.” This definition can be applied to
fear and intimidation which allowed them to the cases of non-state terrorism as well as state
impose strict social control and comprehensive terrorism and it excludes military, paramilitary
and institutionalized system of internal and other such units which can be considered as
surveillance within the Unites States and on its parts of an asymmetric war11. This definition
territorial borders and to strengthen and promote demands further discussion of the legitimacy of
similar measures outside its national territory. the use of violence in the context of global war
Social control was extended also into the on terror and non-white others waged in
cyberspace of internet, as the surveillance of auspices of the FRWW. It is evident that also in
information circulating within this sphere was this case mental and physical violence against
intensified10. Similar though not necessarily civilian population with above mentioned
always exactly the same and of similar intensity objectives can be seen as terrorism. Due to the
measures of internal control were adopted also fact that in the context of war on terror and non-
by other political entities, such as the European white others we all are considered potential
Union, despite the fact that many aspects of the terrorists, this definition demands us to question
occupation war in Iraq as well as the war on the legality, not only of the war of occupation in
terror and non-white others in itself were Iraq which was from the point of view of
criticized within and outside the decision- international law clearly illegal, but also the
making circles. whole idea of global war on terror and non-
white others – and its applications in the
It is also important to point at the non-white national, macro-regional and global legislation
others element of the war on terror, due to the and similar law-like degrees. Without going into
fact that many of its direct victims are of non- deeper discussion on the human nature, which
European descent – especially of Arab-Semitic cannot be done in this context, it is possible to
descent or with “typical Islamist” physical suggest that all human beings cannot be either
features, the most potential terrorists of all – or bad, criminal, or terrorists – as suggested by the
mixed breed as is the case of for example ideologues of war on terror and non-white others
Mexican mestizo-population within and outside – at least all the time. From this it follows that
the US as well as on entry and exit points of the such a war declared by a few persons leading
US. Moreover, those of European descent but of one state12 or certain human beings deciding on
“lesser breed” with darker skin colour are legislations13 allowing such a state of war, can
considered more potential terrorists than their be considered illegal, or only pseudo-legal,
whiter co-descendants. Also the fact that those emerging from a repressive and non-
belonging to non-respectable social sectors, representative social condition, and in any case,
even if their skin colour is white, are more unethical. Moreover, in the context of a global
potential terrorists, underline the importance of state of war, such a war itself can be considered
adding non-white others element, this time with representing world-wide state-terrorism and as
the connotation of internal and external social such a crime against humanity14.
others, to the name of this part of the FRWW. In
the case of the United States – and also outside On the second variant, the most obvious case is
it – black skin colour, Islam as religion with the II Iraq war launched in 2003 and declared
constructed connotation to Islamism and social over relatively soon but which has not ended by
position as either internal or external other can the time of writing this article in January-
also be defining features of a single human February 2007 and which is already lost by the
being. Moreover and in addition to the US and the shrunken “coalition of the willing”.
abovementioned necessary defining features, it II Iraq war was initiated with the pretext of false
is essential to remember that independently of and fabricated “causes” such as the claims of
© Historia Actual Online 2007 23The First Real World War Petri Minkkinen
Saddam Hussein Iraq’s involvement with the part of global network of internal civil wars,
atrocities of S-11-2001 and that his regime may be a result of a new imperialist war of
possessed weapons of mass destruction, occupation (as in Iraq) or be connected to an
including a possibility that it was in a process to internal civil war which is related to the war on
reinitiate a supposed nuclear weapons terror and non-white others as declared by the
production plan. This war has, as I warned in first Bush administration, and be connected to a
2004, turned also into a civil war, which can be civil war that predates the declaration of the
seen as one part and variant of the world-wide FRWW and be related to the proto-phases of the
compound of internal civil wars intimately actual war on terror and non-white others of
connected to the FRWW. However, one should earlier US administrations, which were also
not wall into a trap of believing that the II Iraq related to the power politics involved in the
war is nowadays only a civil war, because this Third Eurocentric Civil War (as in Somalia)19.
state of affairs is one aspect of the ongoing war In any case, internal and possibly extended civil
of occupation15. Moreover, as it has been the wars, are related to the war on terror and non-
case all the time, the presence of occupying white others, and therefore, to the war against
foreign troops is the main – if not the only16 – internal and external others, white or non-white,
reason for the ongoing civil strife. Moreover, with the emphasis on the latter, and in general to
the second Bush administration may be in a the FRWW (against humanity).
process to begin another new imperialist war of
occupation also against Iran – the government of An element which unites all parts of the First
which has all the time been the main target, not Real World War is a concentration and torture
only of new imperialist Bush administration, but camp such as Guantánamo or Abu Ghraib. In
also other US administrations ever since Iran’s order to end up into these facilities, you are
Islamic revolution in 1979. It is also possible supposedly a combatant or an enemy either of
that such aggressive policies will be launched the war of occupation, the war on terror and
against Syria. As was the case of Iraq, also now non-white others or some or some part of the
there are allegations that Iran is building or global network of internal civil wars, which may
planning to build weapons of mass destruction, or may not overlap in a single human being. It is
and in this case, as was also the case in the also possible to consider concentration camp as
context of the I Iraq war, Iran’s alleged nuclear an element of this war and a social condition
weapons plans, which, as tend to be the case, which defines one national state, in which case
conveniently forget the fact that both the US and walls and other wall-like surveillance and
Great Britain are renewing their nuclear control measures define the entry or exit, or lack
weapons arsenal17. of them in this political unit. In a situation in
which this kind of state of affairs is imposed
In the case of third variant, a global compound globally, there are natural limits for the entry or
or network of internal civil wars, civil wars are exit of this political unit, given the fact that at
fought against the non-white, dissident, non- this point permanent human existence outside
conformist and deviant elements in every these limits is impossible and even the
country which is within the sphere in which the temporary being outside it is possible only for
war on terror and non-white others is waged. selected few. This is not however to be
These countries or other political units may have considered a necessary global condition.
formal or less formal agreements or comparable
arrangements uniting these internal civil wars, The FRWW and its component war varieties can
for example as a macro-regional or trans- also be analyzed in terms of globalizing integral
regional internal civil war. In the case that such fascism, a part of which are differing modes of
arrangements are global, the internal civil war domination, repression, subjugation and forms
component becomes a global internal civil war. of control and surveillance exercised by various
In these latter cases it is possible to see certain social groups, especially but not only the ruling
similarities with the First, Second and Third and governing segments of societies. These
Eurocentric Civil Wars of 20th century, which differing modalities are built into the broad
were, however, waged primarily between the historical context of Eurocentric globalization, a
Eurocentric economic growth ideologies and starting point of which can be located to 1492,
their representatives, which remains a separating as typical for the Eurocentric expansion and
feature in relation to the First Real World War forms of global domination, but varieties of
and its components as defined here and which have been present and will probably be in
elsewhere18. Moreover, internal civil wars as a some form present outside the temporal limits of
24 © Historia Actual Online 2007Petri Minkkinen The First Real World War
this particular broad historical context20. It is the pretext of the war on terror and non-white
possible to analyze the political programs of others. Social change is promoted – and
neo-liberalism and new imperialism in attempted to prevent – by forceful, repressive
connection with corresponding light and hard and military means and there is a tendency to
forms of integral fascism21. In the first case, strive for domination of “friendly” states
there is a growing tendency toward transferring primarily through indirect and detached means
social control and domination to private or semi- and “unfriendly” states through direct and
private organs and institutions, in line with the forceful domination on the spot. There is a
overall tendency to privatize and individualize general tendency toward undermining human
the economic, political, social and cultural and personal rights and the concentration and
practices. However, at least in some parts of the torture camps utilized by the aggressive and
world there is, in the context of more or less expansive nationalists during the Second
sincere willingness to respect the human rights, Eurocentric Civil War reappear22. Security and
a simultaneous tendency to uncover and judge surveillance structures are strengthened and in
past crimes against the humanity and the various states such as the US and Russia
dissident sectors of societies, which may be political decision-making circles are filled with
related to increased importance given to people with roots in or with close connections to
individual human beings, in the broader context old and new intelligence institutions. On
of tendency toward social atomization. Despite interstate and trans-social levels, it is possible to
the seeming relaxation of social control and identify a dominant pole of globalizing integral
apparent and superficial individualization, there fascism, the United States23, as well as various
is, however, a growing market forces lead and forms of dependent integral fascism, of which,
political forces facilitated tendency toward the in the context of this article, one may point at
unification of human practices and norms and at small technologically advanced countries such
least in some parts of the world, especially in the as Finland and Israel, which are in many ways
US and the UK, a growing tendency toward dependent on various social forces and practices
deeper and intensified social control, of the dominant pole of integral fascism, and
securitization and emerging militarization of parts of the ruling and governing segments of
societies in the name of protecting of a society which have also been in key positions in the
which allows social atomization. Even if we find construction of emerging nuclear holocaust, the
social and political dissolution in both rich and problematic of which is to be discuss in the
poor countries and wars in different parts of the following section.
world, there is a tendency toward peaceful
resolution of conflicts and social change. 2. THE EMERGING NUCLEAR
HOLOCAUST
In the latter case, despite the continuous
privatization of social control and also of In the context of Second Eurocentric Civil War
military and paramilitary based repression and the aggressive and expansive nationalist of that
warfare, there is a simultaneous revalorization of era, represented by the National Socialist
the public sphere especially in relation to law German Worker’s party (NSDAP) applied a
and order practices, repression and torture, political program which was targeted against the
social control and warfare with the pretext of non-white others, political opponents and other
“demands” of the war on terror and non-white groups and individuals considered deviant from
others. There is effectively a reunification of the point of view of the ideal society, social
private and public forms of social control, now relations and social norms adopted by the
with the emphasis on the latter, on every layer of adherents of NSDAP, the so-called Nazis. Their
the society, extending over every single human political program carried to the extreme the
being, and especially internal and external views related to racial hygiene and white
others, dissidents and those considered socially supremacy that had been promoted in the United
deviant. Moreover, in the context of recovered States and Europe during recent decades and
sense of society and communality, and, after the which in various formulations had been built
relatively brief manufactured intensive period of into the European global expansion which began
outright fear, hate and fear and hate production, during the 15th century and especially after
in the apparent context of still very limited 1492, as suggested by the view presented here
reappearance of human liberties, social control on the inbuilt nature of integral fascism into the
within the societies and also by the individual broad historical context of Eurocentric
members of civil society intensifies, again with globalization. Their political program promoted
© Historia Actual Online 2007 25The First Real World War Petri Minkkinen
the extermination of Semites, especially the the form of civilian-commercial and military
Jews, whom were considered as a racial group, utilization of nuclear reactions26 represents a
as well as the Gypsies, homosexuals and clear example of this, as is suggested e.g. by the
communists, among others. In order to carry out discussion what is the degree of guiltiness, if
the extermination program they utilized to the any, of Albert Einstein to the development of
extreme the results of technological especially military nuclear power and mass-
development involved in the capitalist murders which took place in Hiroshima and
modernity as well as the methodologies Nagasaki. After the Second Eurocentric Civil
separating unwanted individuals and groups War, which was, as the First and Third
from the rest of society, which materialized in Eurocentric Civil War of 20th century, a battle
the form of concentration camp, the most (in- between the Eurocentric economic growth
)famous of which was Auschwitz (Oświęcim), ideologies and their representatives, and in the
located in Poland conquered by the German context of which the United States had used
army. The end result of this process, ending of nuclear weapons against the Japanese civilian
which was not considered the first priority by population in abovementioned locations, there
the Allied leaders – or, for that matter, probably emerged concerns in relation to civilian-
by the Soviets either – was the extermination of commercial and military utilization of nuclear
millions of human beings24. We know this reactions.
process by the name Holocaust (or Ha-Shoah),
which most often is meant to refer the In the Agreed Declaration of November 15,
exterminations of Jews, which, though 1945, the heads of state and government of the
numerically large part of the exterminated, was US, the UK and Canada “recognized that the
by no means the only purpose of the development of atomic energy, and the
extermination process. It is estimated that about application of it in weapons of war, have placed
50 million people died during the Second at the disposal of mankind ‘means of destruction
Eurocentric Civil War of the 20th century, about hitherto unknown’”. In 1946 the so-called
20 million of whom were Russians or Soviets. Acheson-Lilienthal report recognized that, “the
In this article I suggest that the ongoing process development of atomic energy for peaceful
of escalation of civilian-commercial and military purposes and the development of atomic energy
development and utilization of nuclear for bombs are in much of their course
technology promotes a Nuclear Holocaust, interchangeable and interdependent. From this it
which may lead to the death of millions or follows that although nations may agree not to
billions of human beings and possibly to an use in bombs the atomic energy developed
extermination of the humanity and substantial within their borders the only assurance that a
sections of flora and fauna as well25. conversion to destructive purposes would not be
made would be the pledged word and the good
Scientific research as in fact any other human faith of a nation itself. This fact puts an
activity has intended and unintended enormous pressure upon national good faith.”27
consequences as well as various combinations These early recognitions involve various points
between such forms of consequences. The of interest from the contemporary point of view.
former, as represented in this case especially by First of all, it is relatively obvious that most if
natural sciences, has the capacity to unveil not all actors involved as well as human beings
previously unknown possibilities to transform in general agree that nuclear reactions involve
the relation between organic and inorganic tremendous possible threats. Secondly, there is
worlds as well as these component worlds and no reason to believe that the relation between
parts of them themselves and the conjunct of civilian-commercial and military nuclear energy
organic and inorganic worlds. In the context of and its development has changed. Thirdly, it is
capitalist modernity and the political, economic evident that though nations may have
and other competition and power struggles agreements in relation to nuclear development
between different units within it pose and have and utilization, we most often have to rely on
posed threats for scientific inquiry by increasing good faith in relation to their intentions. Now,
the possibilities of unintended consequences of the members of “international community” have
disinterested scientific inquiry – when scientific expressed their concern over the nuclear
inquiry itself had not been subjugated into the development project of Iran and that they do not
service of such purposes. Basic natural science have good faith in Iran’s plans, which are
in relation to unintended consequences, i.e. use supposed to lead to the development of nuclear
and misuse of the results of scientific inquiry, in capacity for military utilization. This lack of
26 © Historia Actual Online 2007Petri Minkkinen The First Real World War
faith is said to have increased due to Iran’s respect mentioned above. In the first case,
president’s suggestion that Israel should be human beings are perceived as disposable
wiped of the map. It is not difficult accept the commodities and depersonalized inputs in the
view that wiping out of Israel28 and especially economic processes – unless completely
Israeli population with conventional or nuclear marginalized as excessive human waste of
weapons is unacceptable idea and practice29. otherwise rational processes. In the second case,
human individuals are perceived as potential
Then, on the other hand, we are required to have threat units which can be shot, bombed and
good faith in, say, the intentions of permanent tortured to death. Humanity in itself is perceived
member-states of the UN Security Council and as untrustworthy composition of dehumanized
Israel. As mentioned, the United States is the objects which can be wasted for example
only country which has used nuclear weapons through a Nuclear Holocaust. In both cases
against the civilian populations. It is also well dehumanization is carried to its extreme.
known that the surface nuclear tests of e.g. the However, despite the general tendency toward
Unites States, France and Soviet Union-Russia dehumanization, the non-white others are
have caused deaths and serious illnesses with considered the most disposable. In the context of
possible transmission to the following emerging Nuclear Holocaust, one may point at
generations within white population with the earlier concept mega-death which was
European descendants as well as non-white coined as a unit referring at a million deaths
populations with no such descendants. We are caused by a nuclear strike – and popularized by
also aware that all the abovementioned countries a heavy music group which adopted the term as
are engaged in the commercial-civilian use of its name. Within the ruling and governing
nuclear reactions and possess nuclear weapons, circles which are in favor of neo-liberal political
the destructive potential of which is well above program and/or new imperialist political
the one’s used in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. program and their respective modalities of
Moreover, besides the famous accidents in integral fascism, there is a tendency to support
commercial-civilian nuclear plants of Three both civilian-commercial and military utilization
Mile Island and Chernobyl, there has been a on nuclear reactions. This is one example of the
continuous line of such accidents, as well as general tendency involving contempt of human
those related to military nuclear utilization e.g. beings and the humanity, which is included also
in submarines, the severity of which has varied in popularized easy greenish – and also in
and that we can read almost daily basis of the certain brands of green fundamentalist –
problems related to civilian-commercial nuclear thinking, that human beings are less important
plants30. Moreover, even if one were to have than other segments of flora and fauna without
such good faith, there is a history and very likely considering enough human beings as parts of the
the actuality of accidental use of nuclear ecosystem and our common world. One may
weapons, as is reported to have happened for also ask, in relation to the discussion on climate
example in February 13, 1950, when an US change, whether the concern over the rising sea
military plane “B-36 en route from Alaska to levels at least partially involves a worry that the
Carswell Air Force Base in Forth Worth, Texas” well-to-do rich country inhabitants can also in
in bad weather conditions dropped the nuclear the future enjoy their beach mansions, in the
weapons it carried “off the coast of British context of which it is nice to express concern
Columbia”, Canada31. However, in recent over the survival possibilities of polar bears or
decades and in the actuality it is not realistic to poor country inhabitants whom happen to live at
expect such a good faith, in a bit similar fashion low-land coastal areas?32
though arising from different kind of world-
view than that expressed by the PNAC, in their Why then there has been an increasing tendency
proposition in relation to small states, with clear to forget the linkage between civilian-
implication especially to those populated by the commercial and military nuclear utilization as
non-white others. well as the prospect of emerging Nuclear
Holocaust? Besides the contempt of human
One of the features neo-liberal and new beings, one can suggest that in general level this
imperialist political programs share, in the is related to the lack of historical knowledge and
context of integral fascist mentality, is the incorrect understanding of the contemporary
tremendous contempt of human beings as global processes. On more practical-ideological
individuals as well as human race as a whole, level, we find the supporters of neo-liberal and
keeping in mind the partial reservations with this new imperialist political programs doing active
© Historia Actual Online 2007 27The First Real World War Petri Minkkinen
propagation in favor of nuclear utilization. In is related to the willingness to prevent more
relation to civilian-commercial nuclear radical social transformation and preserve the
utilization, one can point at the views of John basic social structure intact even if there is or
Rich, Director General of the World Nuclear may be considerable revisions in the ways and
Association, who was of the opinion that his modalities of managing the social system. Such
”personal friend of many years” [at that time] was the case during the 19th century when in the
prime minister Paavo Lipponen ”has contributed context of revolutionary action and radical ideas
additional leadership by speaking clearly about presented by thinkers such as Karl Marx forced
modern Europe’s need for nuclear power”. the practitioners of political economy to delimit
Moreover, he recollected that Mr. Lipponen had their inquiry in order to externalize the
considered European anti-nuclearism as problematic aspects related to the social reality
“economically absurd”33. When Finland’s reflected by the discipline as well as to introduce
Parliament made a decision which allowed the a certain degree of social protection. Another
construction of a new – country’s fifth – nuclear example is the New Deal policies of Franklin D.
plant in May 2002, the Financial Times Roosevelt administration, which were adapted
considered in its editorial that this decision “has amidst the economic crisis of the 1930’s and in
given the nuclear industry a morale boost”. At relation to the problems encountered with the
that time a new nuclear plant would be the first revolutionary Mexico, in the context of which a
one within the European Union in 10 years and set of policies admitting the problems of
also the United States had refrained from new speculative capitalism, limiting the influence of
nuclear plant construction for 20 years. certain sectors of national capitalists,
However, they thought, at that time the nuclear transforming the foreign policy line of the US as
industry could not yet “claim any renaissance”. well as increasing social protection were
Besides this, outside the European Union-US introduced, again in order to preserve the basic
context, various nuclear power plants were social structure35. Another possibility is to adapt
under construction in various Eastern European a repressive and aggressive posture in order to
and Asian countries34. In today’s world things undo the emancipative and progressive social
have changed considerably with this respect and transformative politics and their realization – a
it is hard to deny the responsibility of Lipponen policy line adopted successfully for example by
lead (or Finnish industry lead) pro-nuclear Joseph Stalin and Adolf Hitler during their
power coalition in relation to this development. lifetime within their jurisdictions and
Mr. Rich, among many others, justifies the increasingly unsuccessfully by George W. Bush
benefits of civilian-commercial nuclear within and beyond his jurisdiction.
utilization, among other things, with its
supposed benefits in the struggle against the In relation to civilian-commercial nuclear
climate change, which is increasingly conceived utilization, the nuclear industry, its association
as a result of human activity. One can accept the and their friends have utilized the crowing
view which has received increasing support that concern on climate change in order to promote
climate change, which is increasingly conceived their “economically non-absurd” interests. In the
as human-made, is the main environmental case of various countries, including the
threat our common world is facing. On the other dominant promoter of new imperialism and hard
hand, why should we accept the claim that form globalizing integral fascism, the US, as
civilian-commercial nuclear utilization, having well as a representative of dependent form of
its considerable problems in itself, as well as a integral fascism, Finland, there has been a
clear linkage with the military nuclear utilization perceived need to underline the importance of
and the emerging Nuclear Holocaust, would be a energy security, yet again, also but not only in
solution, which it clearly is not and cannot be? relation to civilian-commercial utilization of
nuclear reactions. Both of these countries and
Now, there is nothing new that the owning, Israel have also been concerned with the internal
ruling and governing segments, in situations in and external security, due to real or constructed
which there is a threat to their own social reasons. Though Finland has both internally and
position and existence, posed by radical ideas externally (especially within the European
and practices as well as active individual and Union) promoted practices related to the war on
more collective action and organization are terror and non-white others, there is a relatively
forced to adapt ideas – in real or and most often broad understanding that internal and global
milder versions – promoted by such thought and security is related to socio-political issues
action. In these situations the reason for doing so (which, however, have not sufficiently been
28 © Historia Actual Online 2007Petri Minkkinen The First Real World War
reflected in the overall policies of societal war on terror and non-white others, and the
development of that country) and not necessarily current chair of board of oil-giant Shell. The
to terrorism as such36. On the other hand, the relation of Anglo-Dutch Shell to the new
overall Finnish integration policy in relation to imperialist war of occupation in Iraq is evident,
the European Union is based on the imaginary not only because British troops participate and
of potential external threat from the part of also Dutch troops have participated in the war of
Russia37, which has been reflected in the urge occupation41, one purpose of which is to destroy
that Finland should belong to all core Iraq’s previous social structure and reconstruct
institutions of the EU as well as in the views this country in order to serve the particular
presented by some ruling and governing sectors economic interests of especially the US but also
– though not shared by the population – that “allied” economic forces, first of all those
Finland should become a member of NATO, a involved in non-deterritorialized economic
military alliance which has clearly been activities, such as oil extraction and refining.
transformed into a part of new imperialist Shell is also among the oil-giants to which the
policies to be found, besides the US, within the Bush administration has planned to prioritize in
EU. On the other hand, the US and Israel, both the utilization of Iraq’s oil assets trough the
of which are constructed as states on conquered production sharing agreements (PSA) which
territories38 (as well as Finland, for that matter39) would give them oil extraction rights for a 30
and have been actively promoting policies years period42. Moreover, Ollila leads the
aimed at the internal and external others of all European Round Table of Industrialists (ERT)
racial descendants as well as constructed and and has been involved in the activities of
self-enforced external threat, to be struggled Trilateral Commission and Bilderberg Group, all
against with all possible means, including of which plan and organize the activities of rich
nuclear weapons, for the use of which they country ruling and governing segments. From
themselves have granted a right. the point of view of the war of occupation, his
participation to the Bilderberg meetings has
On the other hand, all these three and many given him possibilities to socialize with the key
other countries have promoted policies which figures of NATO and US officials involved in
promote internal and external insecurity, either the planning of the war of occupation43.
through neo-liberal political program or new
imperialist political program with respective Besides benefiting from and most likely
forms of integral fascism40. This is also related supporting the war of conquest in Iraq, Shell
to economic globalization, however defined or positively though not necessarily with full
applied within these political programs, one sincerity conceives alternative energy sources
aspect of which has been the emergence of such as advanced solar, wind, biofuels and
corporations with global or nearly global hydrogen as parts of a “long-term response to
presence and/or activities, such as General climate change and concerns about energy
Motors, Exxon, Sony, Shell and Nokia, all of security.”44 Of these, biofuel fever has already
which have interests to be defended and increased the suffering of poor people for
countries, institutions and political actors example in Mexico, where this has been at least
promoting and defending their interests, and the a partial reason for price increase of maize
representatives of which are also by themselves which is the basic staple of local poor people,
interest promoters and creators. especially indigenous people45. However, oil
majors have a major stake in the continuity of
In relation to civilian-commercial nuclear oil production and can be seen as at least partial
utilization as well as ruling and governing competitors with civilian-commercial nuclear
classes to tackle this issue without utilization. Besides that it is obvious that at least
compromising their vested interests, one may the “Western” oil and nuclear industries, besides
point at another Finnish key figure in relation to willing to increase their share as providers of the
the FRWW, the war on terror and non-white contemporary and future energy consumption,
others and the emerging Nuclear Holocaust, have a shared interest in propagating for “energy
Jorma Ollila, the former CEO of Nokia, a security” while at the same time benefiting from
nominally Finnish but mostly foreign own the wars of conquest as well as from the
telecommunication giant, which as other similar escalation of civilian-commercial nuclear
high-tech corporations, contributes to the utilization, with evident connection to military
development of equipment which serves the nuclear utilization. In other words, while
purpose surveillance component involved in the benefiting from the war and nuclear escalation,
© Historia Actual Online 2007 29The First Real World War Petri Minkkinen
they both stand to improve their future earnings countries, which opened up possibilities for
the field of partly competing alternative energy stealing and selling nuclear devises to
sources, especially those conceived as “terrorists” and other elements unsatisfied with
alternatives to greenhouse gas emissions and the US-led capitalist expansion in the context of
CO2. This is reflected also in the policy line of capitalist triumphalism and the ever increasing
the ERT, which indicates concerns over CO2 implementation of neo-liberal political program.
emissions and the development of climate During the 1990’s the United States succeeded
friendly technology, though basically interested temporarily in reversing the overall post-early
in business competitiveness, as indicated in its 1970’s tendency of US global decline, as
letter to the European Commission, which does suggested by the world-systems analysis50,
not exclude civilian-commercial nuclear which has however continued and intensified
utilization from the possible alternatives to CO2 during the Bush the younger administrations
emissions46. engaging in the implementation of new
imperialist political program from the beginning
In this case we can detect yet another case of of 2000’s, partly due to the increasing awareness
green-washing, in similar ways the social of this tendency of decline. We should also
democratic parties which supposedly promote remember that in the context of declaring the
common good while pushing further reforms FRWW, which can also be conceived as a war
based on neo-liberal political program and the against human-beings and humanity, the Bush
conservative parties claiming to promote well- administration singled out an Axis of Evil,
being of the workers but effectively interested in composing of Iraq, Iran and North Korea – in
the deepening of these “reforms”, besides being some formulations also Brazil, Venezuela, and
even more in favor of new imperialist political Cuba, of which Brazil seems nowadays to be
program and hard form integral fascism than removed from the list – and announced to
social democratic parties47. Moreover, the ERT develop further its own nuclear arsenal and
and other business organizations have tactical warheads51. Their aggressive new
traditionally had close relations with the imperialist policies suggested to other countries
European Commission, which has proposed to that ultimately the only way to prevent
reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promotes aggressive action from the part of the new
the creation of true internal EU energy market, imperialist US is to develop forms of nuclear
and conceives nuclear energy as a way to military utilization, which is clearly related to
promote a shift to low carbon energy and the civilian-commercial nuclear utilization, and
suggests that if the level of nuclear energy use which, as indicated, has been promoted by the
reduces, this must be rebalanced by “other low ruling and governing segments of the Euro-US
energy sources”48. Therefore, despite different area, among others. Since then there has
ways to masquerade the civilian-commercial happened considerable “progress” with this
nuclear utilization issue, when not promoted respect.
openly, many ruling and governing elements are
in favor of it and in the context of European As indicated before, neither civilian-commercial
Union, which has, despite previous, shown more nor military nuclear utilization can be
interest in environmental problems, there are considered safe. Now, in the beginning of year
two countries, Great Britain and France, which 2007, it is possible to point at yet another sign of
are in possession of nuclear weapons and of this tendency, with certain parallels to the Soviet
these, Great Britain has announced to develop decline and collapse, that is, the concern over
further its nuclear weapons arsenal49. the capabilities of the US military establishment
to guard its own nuclear arsenal and related
In relation to military nuclear utilization, we information52. In order to counter this
should remember, that after the collapse of the misconduct, the Bush administration, in the
Soviet Union and the East-European “real context of its overall rearmament program and
socialist” bloc, the “international community” aggressive global policies, is planning to
(which in this context should be read as those develop new kind of nuclear warhead which
parts of representatives of Eurocentric ruling would be “sturdy, reliable and secure from
segments aiming at dismantling not only “real terrorists” and which could “replace the current
socialism” but also milder “socialist” or more arsenal with Reliable Replacement Warheads”53.
“social democratic” attempts to promote social This program would allow the development a
justice and alternatives) expressed concerns over “first new nuclear warhead in nearly two
the unstable situation in these ex-communist decades”. The United States is a signatory to the
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