Posted on 08/15/2008 6:40:42 AM PDT by docbnj
A top Russian general said Friday that Poland's agreement to accept a US missile defense battery exposes the country to attack, pointing out that Russian military doctrine permits the use of nuclear weapons in such a situation, the Interfax news agency reported. *** Interfax said he added, in clear reference to the agreement, that Russia's military doctrine sanctions the use of nuclear weapons "against the allies of countries having nuclear weapons if they in some way help them." Nogovitsyn said that would include elements of strategic deterrence systems, according to Interfax.
(Excerpt) Read more at jpost.com ...
In Cuba, the Russians supplied one of their allies with nuclear missiles for attacking America 90 miles from US soil.
In Poland we are supplying our ally with a missile shield to defend themselves from Russian attack.
If your reasoning contains no distinction between attack systems and defense systems, then you need to reexamine the basic assumptions of your logic.
“Even though deep down I really want to find a way to criticise Russia over this, I’m having a hard time justifying a reason to myself.”
The basic difference: We follow Roosevelt’s admonition to speak softly and carry a big stick. The Russians prefer to yell loudly and wield the big stick. Defense versus empire. I’ll take us.
Colonel, USAFR
Russian General = Fat drunk rapist with bigger hat than the other fat drunk rapists (Russian Officers)
Yeah, I can see their point too. We wouldn’t want their missiles that close to us. Trust is an issue, obviously.
But we also, as a nation, have an obligation to have strategic defenses from that part of the world. After Russia has taken over Poland is not the time to try and find a place to put our missiles. Especially since Russia are the ones who insist on supporting Iran.
The defensive system is non-nuclear.
Quick send Obama (Peace be on his name) to have a a cup of herbal tea with them and make peace happen. Koom ba yah, Koom ba yah! (sarc)
“Bring it.
The first thing I thought when I heard those idiots had a massed convoy of 100 vehicles heading down a single road to Tbilisi was what a few A-10s would make it look like.”
I would stand behind the President if he said the US had chosen to defend freedom and the people of Georgia from being brought under the heel of the Russian led KGB punk.
Litter the road like from Kuwait back to Iraq. And show the film around the world.
Would Putin like that?
The missiles in Cuba were offensive weapons for destroying American cities.
The missiles in Poland are defensive weapons for destroying incoming offensive warheads.
Is that difference really so difficult to understand?
Maybe we should give Poland offensive missiles with nuclear warheads for destroying Moscow and Saint Petersburg. Russia is already complaining as though we did.
Poland is a NATO country and must be protected. It’s no different than setting up a missile shield in Italy.
That’s the reality and Russia can cry and whine all they like. Which way do you think fallout will blow from Poland?
It would fall on Moscow and everything in between in hours.
Say, you're right, it is analogous. But I have a policy that covers that, which I cribbed from Ronald Reagan: "We win. They lose."
“The U.S. reaction to having missiles 90 miles off our coast is fairly analogous to the Russian reaction over this issue”
Where your analogy fails is that Russia’s missiles in Cuba were offensive nuclear missiles where Poland will have defensive missiles.
Not a small distinction in reality.
Isn’t there a Polish saying;”We’ll kill the Germans for revenge, and we’ll kill the Russians for pleasure.”? There is no love shared between them, even during the cold war, the Poles weren’t considered a major threat in the Warsaw Pact.
Unfortunately Poland probably can’t count on the US, either.
We should hand Poland here own nuclear arsenal, and then she would be able to defend herself.
Absent that, nobody is truly safe from the Bear if it starts to go on a rampage.
And the lesson of the 1930s is that democracies do not like to stand up to bullying dictators, and will do so only when
there is no one left to feed to the alligator to buy them a little more time. . .
Not true. At least that's not the stated reason. We are supplying a missile shield to protect against Iranian (and other rogue nations) missiles.
I just came across an interesting tidbit yesterday as a result of another thread. The Georgians have a couple of squadrons of the SU-25 "Frogfoot". This is the Soviet/Russian ground attack aircraft -- sorta their A-10 (minus the rotary barrel main gun). A really tough aircraft designed to operate from forward airstrips they were used a lot in Afghanistan during the Soviet occupation.
You'll never guess where the Soviets built the SU-25............ Georgia.
Hmmmm....lemme check my notes from last night ... oh here we are [memo to self]; “fer GAWDSAKES don’t make any more jokes about slavs or savages!!!”
A point I was not aware of. Thank you.
No, it's not. We are installing a defense shield to an offensive weapon. In other words we are helping stop destruction while the Russians are threatening it. Do you see the difference? The Russians haven't a leg to stand on, and there is plenty of reason to criticize Russia.
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