Now that our government is more socialist than the Russkies, we may not be able to spend them into oblivion again.
Didn’t they ask Obama first? Don’t they know that he intendes to rid the world of those nasties? I heard him say so! The Russians just can’t do this in the face of such a peaceful American president, can they?
"Putilin said that in addition to 70 strategic missiles, the military will also get 30 short-range Iskander missiles, 48 combat jets, 60 military helicopters, more than 300 tanks and 14 navy vessels in the next three years."
A bit Off Topic:
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1229868825167&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
(AP)
Dec 23, 2008 10:32
“Russia again fails new missile test launch”
ARTICLE SNIPPET: “A Russian experimental sea-based ballistic missile failed in yet another test launch on Tuesday, signaling serious trouble with a key component of the nation’s nuclear might.”
Snarky remarks about Obama don’t enter into this though I am sure that will be most of the replies. Nearly the entire Russian strategic missile force was built and deployed before the fall of the USSR. They are years beyond their shelf life. Reliability and maintenance must be a nightmare.
NY Times editorial writers may be impressed by the raw numbers of launchers but to the professional soldiers in the US, France, and China, Russia can stay in the superpower club only by a large rebuilding program. The question I wonder about is affordability. The USSR couldn’t afford the old arms programs and I question if the new Russia can either.
Putin bluster aside can they actually pay for such a program. Even before the oil price drops Russia’s economy was less then the UK or even California. 21st century weapons aren’t cheap.
In other news....
The U.S. to get 70 speeches about tolerance.
Hawaii, Obama the president-elect promises 70 speeches on tolerance, 300 soundbites about inclusion, and at least 75 bills about equality. This will happen in the next year. Obama is quoted as saying “America is still the most hated country in the world, how can we expect the rest of the world to follow our example?”
Can you say “new missile gap?”
This is not surprising considering that Russia is getting rid of many of their fixed-silo ICBM’s due to the cost of maintaining them in very harsh conditions. By going to mobile launch platforms they achieve not only the goal of replacing obsolete launch silos but also makes their launch platforms less vulnerable to a first strike.