Posted on 08/15/2008 2:30:58 AM PDT by Schnucki
THE timing of a US-Poland missile defence deal announced this week amid the crisis in Georgia indicates the system is aimed at Russia, Interfax news agency quoted a foreign ministry source as saying. "In reality this project has no relation to the Iranian missile threat but is aimed against Russia," Interfax quoted the senior Russian ministry source, who it did not identify, as saying.
Warsaw and Washington signed a preliminary deal yesterday on basing part of a US missile shield in Poland, in the face of Moscow's vehement opposition and mounting East-West tensions over Georgia.
US and Polish negotiators inked the accord in a ceremony after two days of talks in the Polish capital.
"This is an important agreement for the security of the United States, for the security of Poland and the security of our NATO allies," chief US negotiator John Rood said.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.com.au ...
So What ?
If the shoe fits ...
And why should protection against aggression bother the Russians, unless they intended aggression?
They have a point. After a hypothetical first nuclear strike by U.S. forces against Russia the missile shield would help interdict the westbound Russian nuclear response which would be weak. The shield protecting Japan, ostensibly to counter North Korea, would help knock down eastbound Russian ICBMs.
So where's the beef???
It is all propaganda for local consumption. The more Putin misinforms the Russian populace causing them to fear us the more power he accumulates. Puti is a tyrant only interested in power, not what's best for his countrymen.
Interceptors need to be further away from full fledged ICBM headed towards the US. Not enough time to respond and/or intercept.
Haw can be a shield AIMED at anything???
Incoming missiles to an area will be intercepted by “shield missiles” which will blow up/knock out the aggressive incoming missiles.
That’s the point.
So the shield is not AIMED at anything.
It’s designed to protect.
In the article of this thread:
""In reality this project has no relation to the Iranian missile threat but is aimed against Russia," Interfax quoted the senior Russian ministry source, who it did not identify, as saying."
So, has the Senior Russian ministray source just categorized Russia as a ROGUE STATE?
My.
Putin might consider who he is allowing to speak to the presses...
For all the Huzzah's the media is reporting about Russians for what Russia has just done in Georgia, I get the impression, specifically from this article; that "inside Russia" is freaking out by world response. The simplest things are sending them into over-reaction.
This paper is dated by two years but it details U.S. and Russian capabilities and the role of the Pacific and European shields in first strike strategy:
Their objections are completely ridiculous. 10 interceptor missiles are absolutely no threat to a nation with hundreds and hundreds of ICBMs. This system is only capable of protecting against attacks from a few missiles from a small nation.
The Ruskies are just mad that they can’t tell old satelite nations what to do. Bite me commies!!!
The Patriots are aimed at what ever hostile ballistic missiles might be launched. If they're Russian ones, then that's your problem, Ivan.
“They have a point. After a hypothetical first nuclear strike by U.S. forces against Russia the missile shield would help interdict the westbound Russian nuclear response which would be weak. The shield protecting Japan, ostensibly to counter North Korea, would help knock down eastbound Russian ICBMs.”
the only point they have is on top of their heads. Physics of the interceptor missiles does not allow them to do this to ICBMS. The interceptors we are deploying there are built to intercept warheads in terminal phase, not upward-bound missiles in boost or coasting phase, which is where they would be, if launched from Russia toward the west, over Poland. Ground-based interceptors are last-ditch weapons to mop-up incoming individual warheads.
The Russians know this, having maintained their ABM-treaty-allowed 100-launcher defense of their national capital all throughout the Cold War era. We got rid of Safeguard during that time. That, of course, is never ever mentioned in these discussions. If it protects THEM, it’s defensive. If it protects anyone else, it’s the naked aggression of imperialists or some such like.
Besides, why on Earth would we be launching a first strike against them, unless they were about to use their stuff on someone they shouldn’t? This whole propaganda line reminds me of the Cold War days when they were saying they needed a 3 or 5 to 1 advantage in tanks, troops, etc to protect them from us. I cant imagine that anyone bought that, unless they were beyond stupid.
They view the missile shield as a clear and present danger, or they pretend to, either way it is a very dangerous situation we find ourself in.
“Trouble is, even if it is all in their heads (which I suspect it is) that won’t change how they act.
They view the missile shield as a clear and present danger, or they pretend to, either way it is a very dangerous situation we find ourself in.”
It’s not even all in their heads. It’s an outright cynical lie perpetrated by their leadership. They are using good ol’ Orwellian doublespeak. Because their population is so much either in the dark or willing accomplices, it’s dangerous. Ignorance and an excess of national pride CAN be a very dangerous combination.
You are exactly correct on this.
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