The US administration said on July 10, 2024, that it would be sending missiles to Germany that the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty would not have allowed.
The US withdrew from this pact, specifically in 2019, under the Trump administration. The INF outlawed land-based missile systems with a range of 310–3,400 miles, according to a report by Dave DeCamp of Antiwar.com.
Germany is receiving Tomahawk missiles, which have a 1,000-mile range and are terrestrial versions of their nuclear-capable counterparts. US Navy ships and submarines.
As part of preparations for long-term stationing of these capabilities in the future, the US and Germany declared in a joint statement during a NATO summit in Washington, DC, that “the US will start episodic deployments of the long-range fire capabilities of its Task Force within Germany in 2026.”
“These traditional long-range firing units, which have much longer range than present land-based fires in Europe, will include SM-6, Tomahawk, and developing hypersonic weapons when completely built,” the statement stated.
A Typhon launcher is a clandestine device that can shoot Tomahawks and SM-6 missiles, and the remark indicates that the US is likely planning to install one. The SM-6 can reach targets up to 290 kilometers apart. This range is lower than the INF’s previously forbidden values.
The United States government has previously used Typhon launchers for military drills in Denmark and the Philippines. President Vladimir Putin of Russia recently declared that his country should create weapons that the US government has been developing, despite the INF’s prohibition on doing so. This announcement coincides with the anticipated deployment of the missile system to Germany.
Russia had violated the pact when it developed the ground-launched 9M729 cruise missile, according to the US at the time of its departure from the INF treaty. With a maximum range of 298 miles, Russian officials refuted accusations that the development of this missile breached the pact.
Furthermore, Russia claimed that the US government may have violated the INF by installing Aegis Ashore missile defense systems in Romania and Poland. The system’s Mk-41 vertical launchers are capable of firing Tomahawk missiles.
The US is taking risks. Russia is a formidable nation with an extensive nuclear arsenal and a tough exterior. By acting so aggressively, the US moves closer to a direct conflict with Russia.
US officials ought to reconsider how they handle Russia. Instead, the southern US border should be the location of defensive systems, as it is the only area of national security that requires attention from a genuine national defense strategy.
It is ultimately up to European nations, not the US in this instance, to handle their problems.
Author: Steven Sinclaire
