Another test is planned for April or May. Success would pave the way for the war president Clinton to give the go-ahead to deployment of a "shield" based in the United States and a "theater" version based on Washington's allies in Asia. Whether the test succeeds or fails, however, the U.S. imperialists will continue to pour resources into achieving their target of a first-strike nuclear capacity. With such an edge they aim to throw their weight around even more, especially against the workers states—above all, the major nuclear-armed powers of China and Russia.

As the statements by their diplomatic representatives cited in our report on Russia's invasion of Chechnya indicate, Beijing and Moscow clearly understand they are the target of this policy. Moscow, in particular, feels under the gun. Since the U.S.-led offensive against Yugoslavia last year, the White House has treated the Kremlin with hostility and contempt. Washington has promoted the expansion of the European military alliance it dominates, until NATO's shadow is cast over the borders of the former Soviet Union.

Washington's criticism of Russia's invasion of Chechnya is driven by the rulers' perception that Russia will not be reformed back to capitalism, but must be forced. It also suits the U.S. rulers to see instability in an oil-rich region where they already have interests and where they plan to become more involved.

As the comments by right-wing journalist William Safire indicate, the imperialists are well aware of Russia's capacity to defend itself with nuclear weapons, and of Moscow's recent affirmation of its right to use them. This explains why the imperialists are racing to develop a new generation of weapons. Safire also urges the administration to step up its criticisms of the Chechnya adventure.

Working people around the world need to oppose Washington's diplomatic and scientific preparations for military confrontation with the workers states. The labor movement must defend those territories against imperialism. We need to forge an international movement that can wrest power from the warmakers. The Russian revolution of 1917 and the early 1920s, and the Cuban revolution since 1959, have already blazed the trail for us.  
 
 
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