Posted on 03/24/2008 9:31:43 AM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
PRAGUE (Thomson Financial) - Former Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev attacked US plans to site an anti-missile system in central and eastern Europe, saying that it was aimed at Russia and China and not Iran.
'You believe that (the system) will be used against Iran? No, the whole system is aimed against Russia and China,' Gorbachev said in an interview broadcast by Czech public television today.
He dismissed sustained US statements that the anti-missile system is aimed exclusively at countering the threat from 'rogue states' such as Iran.
'The US radar is a serious question and the Czech government has been preparing to accept it for a long time without a mandate from its own citizens. You think this is being prepared against Iran? That is total nonsense. Iran does not present any threat. It would be possible to settle things with it in another way if that was really required,' Gorbachev said.
Gorbachev's comments echo Moscow's repeated assertions that US plans to site a radar in the Czech Republic and interceptor missiles in neighbouring Poland represent a direct threat to Russia.
Appearing on the same programme, former Czech president and dissident icon Vaclav Havel defended the US plans and attacked local anti-radar protesters.
'The US for the first time is asking for something from us. Frequently in the past we have made demands on it. They are asking for something small from us and we are prevaricating,' Havel said.
Anti-radar militants 'are doing something just as dangerous as pacifists before Munich,' Havel added, referring to the 1938 agreement between Nazi Germany, fascist Italy, Britain and France, under which large parts of former Czechoslovakia were handed over to Germany and later dismantled altogether.
The centre-right Czech government of Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek hopes to complete bilateral negotiations on the radar system with Washington before a NATO summit in Bucharest next week.
Parliament must approve any deal. The government has refused to hold a referendum on the issue, with a succession of polls showing as many as two-thirds of Czechs opposed to a foreign base on their territory.
How, exactly, would Mr. Gorbachev like to explain how defensive missiles are “aimed” at anyone?
Thank you Mr. Gorbachev.
Your objection has been duly noted and recorded.
In the future, please make such objections in writing...
THEY’RE SO MUCH EASIER TO IGNORE THAT WAY!
The Left has long had a big problem with purely defensive weapons. ....moreso than even with ICBMs, it seems. Just more evidence of their collective mental disorder.
That’s some good old aparachtick paranoia for you.
‘The US radar is a serious question and the Czech government has been preparing to accept it for a long time without a mandate from its own citizens”
Did the Soviet Union EVER give a rats ass about what it’s own citizens wanted or cared about. Go polish your bust of Stalin and shut up !
Former ‘President’? How about the last Soviet dictator (not to be confused with the current dictator).
“how defensive missiles are “aimed” at anyone?”
THANK YOU!!!!
Okay. Well, how does this soviet propaganda sit with his visit to Assisi last week and articles about his being a devout Christian? Iran not a threat?? I guess if the Iranian people take I’m-a-nut-job down themselves, they could possibly reverse their stance as a threat...
Mutually Assured Destruction becomes a worthless if one side can avoid destruction.
We are basically telling the Russians “Trust Us - We won’t attack you.” What if the tables were turned and they (or Iran or NK) were building a Missile Shield?
And as Reagan famously said “Trust - but verify.”
Anyway, considering we have a greater chance of a suitcase bomb going off as opposed to a missile strike, this is a waste of Taxpayer dollars.
The fact that Russia is so uneasy about anti-missile missiles is proof enough that we need to double their number.
When the Czechs start basing offensive missiles in numbers beyond any defensive need, then Russia may have a point. To object to a missile defense system, which can defend against incoming missiles only, exposes a guilty conscience.
“Iran does not present any threat.”
Wow, Gorby’s been hanging out with the anti-war kooks.
So true. This mental problem extends to defensive use of firearms as well.
How does one go about determining that the chance of one is greater than the chance of the other?
Why would the Soviets or the Chinese bomb their customers?
When is this guy finally going to be extradited to Lithuania to stand trial?
China is not and will not be the only nation to have the capability of launching missile attacks on the U.S.
Not guarding against missile attack because of the possibility of a different type of attack is akin to not owning a fire extinguisher because there is a greater chance of dying of heart disease.
That’s right Gorby. We don’t trust Russians, Chinese, or Iranians.
Keep scrubbing that wine spot on your head, fella.
Perfect.
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