Posted on 05/24/2006 9:41:45 AM PDT by lizol
We really don’t know any details. Why would the Russian cry if this would be the only purpose?
Personally I think we should sell poland some ICBM's and let see the russkies sweat a little as they try and bully you. :)
"We really don’t know any details."
Most of experts say so.
"Why would the Russian cry if this would be the only purpose?"
Probably because of the same reasons they cried over our membership in NATO.
Since it makes little sense for Russia to be "angered" by a missile defense system, I'm inclined to doubt that its true.
Eastern Europe is a good location for such a system, but better yet would be for it to be built in layers, with part of it based in Turkey or Georgia, or even southern Russia if they decided to get on board.
Israel is an obvious target for a missile strike, so its almost a certainty that part of the system will be based there.
There are several assertions in the article that do not bear the slightest resemblance to reality.
Even so, that is MORE of an reason to base in Turkey.
I guess I just keep remembering that for most of my life, the Soviets were our main adversary.
Anything that makes a roosski squawk, has got to be good for America.
We don't need Turkey at all. We can use Iraq, Kuwait, Georgia, Afghanistan, and Cyprus (Greece) as an alternative to do the job.
Turkey seems to be too close, besides they rather wouldn't agree to have this kind of base on their territory.
As long as we can keep them away from the shield generator, it should be alright.
"Iran currently has no weapons capable of hitting western Europe, let alone an intercontinental missile that could strike the United States."
This is a misleading statement. Iran has steadily increased the range of their missiles---especially since 1997 when it became apparent the Russians were providing them with missile technology---if not the missiles themselves. The current Iranian missiles can reach into Central Europe, so the notion that Western Europe should feel safe is ridiculous.
"The possible extension of missile defences into Poland or the Czech Republic both staunch American allies is the latest episode of a story that has inspired dreams and controversy in equal measure since it was first sketched out by President Ronald Reagan in 1983 as the Strategic Defence Initiative (SDI), quickly dubbed "Star Wars". But despite more than 20 years of work and tens of billions of dollars in spending, it is now accepted that any such shield would be overwhelmed by an attack from Russia, which possesses a nuclear arsenal comparable to the US.
It has now been scaled back to cope with the far more limited strike that North Korea might be able to deliver to the continental US by the end of the decade. So far, nine interceptor rockets are in place at Fort Greely in Alaska, and two more at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. But the viability even of this version is questionable.
"It [the shield] has been doing very poorly," a former Pentagon official involved in the testing told The New York Times. "They have not had a successful flight intercept test in four years." "
Is the Israeli shield better? Then let's just buy theirs.
"According to The New York Times, the Defence Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, is expected to receive a recommendation on a European site in the summer. If the plan for interceptors in Poland goes ahead, it would create the first permanent American military presence in the country."
Yaaa! That's an accomplishment in itself---regardless of the Iranian threat. Go Poland!
"The most likely base for the system is Poland, followed by the Czech Republic, officials said."
Too bad we didn't do this with General Patton in 1945 - it would have saved us alot of trouble - and about 60 million deaths
"Too bad we didn't do this with General Patton in 1945 - it would have saved us alot of trouble - and about 60 million deaths"
I'll give you this, no matter how empty your rhetoric is you'll cling to it like a drowning rat does to a tree branch in a flood.
The is the EXACT move we've needed to make for some time. Now we have given the Russians a choice - continue to play footsies with Iran and get us even closer into your backyard OR join the rest of the world in condemning them and make it impossible for this outlaw regime to further its nuclear ambitions.
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