Russia annoyed at Poland missile shield plan: paper

Reuters ^ | Fri Dec 2, 2005

[lizol]

Russia annoyed at Poland missile shield plan: paper

WARSAW (Reuters) - Russia is annoyed at Poland's plans to host a U.S. anti-missile system, a top Moscow general told a Polish newspaper, adding that such a space umbrella in central Europe would only make sense in a conflict with Russia.

In what critics said was a diplomatic lapse, Warsaw's new conservative government said last month that it was considering hosting the U.S. anti-missile system, making public what had previously been a subject of discreet talks with Washington.

"Of course (such a system) would be aimed against us," General Yury Baluyevsky, chief of Russia's general staff, told Gazeta Wyborcza in an interview published on Friday. "Rockets from other states would never fly to the West over Polish soil."

"Including central Europe in the U.S. anti-missile system would strengthen it in case of a conflict with Moscow ... I don't expect a nuclear conflict between Russia and the West."

The United States is investing tens of billions of dollars to develop the Missile Defense Initiative (MDI), which would use rockets to shoot down ballistic missiles that could carry nuclear, chemical or bacteriological warheads.

Poland's ruling conservatives, who won September's general elections, regard the United States as the guarantor of security for Poland and want the NATO and European Union member to continue its close military co-operation with Washington.

A former Polish foreign minister said Washington had asked Warsaw to remain discreet about the shield plans to soothe Russian concerns that the move would be aimed against Moscow.

The debate about the missile shield coincided with Russia's decisions to ban the import of most Polish food products after reported irregularities in health standards and certificates. Warsaw officials say the trade row may be politically motivated.

Baluyevsky said Russia had no plans to stop Poland from obtaining a rocket shield, saying: "What can we do? Go ahead build the shield, but think what will later fall on your heads."

[calex59]

What does Russia mean aimed agaisnt us? The missle shield isn't aimed at anyone, it is for defense. If I were poland I would be asking Russia why they don't want Poland to have a defense against missles.

[SolutionsOnly]

How dare you try to defend yourself against our missiles!
The audacity of it all!

[IronChefSakai]

Two Words:
Bush's Fault

[gondramB]

"What does Russia mean aimed against us? The missle shield isn't aimed at anyone, it is for defense. If I were poland I would be asking Russia why they don't want Poland to have a defense against missles."

They may be thinking in terms of a first strike capability- that if we can defend against their return fire then we could safely launch a first strike.

[hinckley buzzard]

What does Russia mean aimed agaisnt us? The missle shield isn't aimed at anyone, it is for defense.

Russian genrals are trained to think this way. It is a holdover from the bad old days of the USSR, when generals got their rank by being ruthlessly political, and survived by being paranoid

[ModelBreaker]

I suspect it is no coincidence that this information was made public by Poland the same week it also released previously secret documents documenting Russians plan for nuclear war in Europe during the cold war. Basically, Poland ended up cinders in that plan as well as much of Germany.

The main benefit of basing a missle defense in Poland will come not against Russia; but when the inevitable Iranian nukes are on missles that can range to Europe. An SDI in Poland is well placed to stiffen European spines, in that case.

[cdrw]

uh ... Poland has troops deployed at our side in the war on terror.

Iran is a primary sponser of Islamic terror.

Iran is developing long range, nuclear capable missles.

Iran is developing nuclear warheads for those missles.

Poland is well advised to be part of the global / European defense umbrella.

All this may have nothing at all to do with their reasoning. It just kinda jumps off the page at me. Nobody actually expects the Russian to launch missle strikes against the west at this point.

[Pittsburg Phil]

Hasn't Russia dissolved yet? What's holding up the show?

[budanski]

meanwhile, russia perfects a missle to defeat the U.S. missle shield...

[adorno]

I don't expect a nuclear conflict between Russia and the West."

Well, if Russia continues acting like the enemy of the U.S. and generally the west, we need to continue to defend ourselves.

By the way, how many missiles does Russia still have pointing at the U.S. and Europe?

[M. Espinola]

Maybe the Russian's and Poles would consider returning to their pre-1939 borders and then everyone will be happy, well almost everyone.

Additional data

[M. Espinola]

"By the way, how many missiles does Russia still have pointing at the U.S. and Europe?"

Good question.

[impatient]

"Of course (such a system) would be aimed against us," General Yury Baluyevsky, chief of Russia's general staff, told Gazeta Wyborcza in an interview published on Friday. "Rockets from other states would never fly to the West over Polish soil."

Nuclear warheads are supposed to explode over their targets.

His point would be valid only if the shield is designed to destroy targets over Polish soil, which would sort of defeat the purpose, from Poland's perspective.

[Spirited]

Thank you for the informative post.

[Rockingham]

The Polish Defense Minister, Radek Sikorski, is one of us.

As a student in the 1980's, Sikorski went into exile in Britain to oppose Poland's Moscow-backed communist rulers. Sikorski later lived in the US and often wrote for National Review.

In the post-communist Solidarity government, Sikorsky was appointed deputy defense minister. He returned to the US after the ex-communists came into power, again writing for National Review and joining a conservative think tank.

Sikorski was recently elected to the Polish Senate as a pro-US, free market conservative, and was then named defense minister. Look for great things from him and from the new Polish government.

Poland is the most loyal friend that we have in continental Europe, with the people and government both resolutely pro-US. Providing that we back them, the Poles have no fear of displeasing the Russians, regarding it even as a source of national satisfaction.

[M. Espinola]

You are welcome :)

[RusIvan]

Maybe the Russian's and Poles would consider returning to their pre-1939 borders and then everyone will be happy, well almost everyone.==

I beleive Russia will not be against it:).

[RusIvan]

They may be thinking in terms of a first strike capability- that if we can defend against their return fire then we could safely launch a first strike.==

Exactly.

[familyop]

...sweet news from Poland! Cheers for Poland! It will be a safer country, while the rest of Europe chats endlessly with Iran and its evil allies.