Medvedev threatens to target U.S. missile shield in Europe if no deal is reached

washingtonpost ^ | November 23, 2011 | Will Englund and William Wan

[kronos77]

MOSCOW — President Dmitry Medvedev said Wednesday that Russia will target the American missile defense system in Europe with its own missiles if Moscow cannot reach an agreement with Washington and NATO on how the system will be built and operated.

Medvedev said time hasn’t run out for an agreement, but he accused the United States of failing to take into account Russian concerns.

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Russia will deploy new missiles aimed at U.S. missile defense sites in Europe if Washington goes ahead with the planned shield despite Russia's concerns, President Dmitry Medvedev said Wednesday. (Nov. 23)

His declaration, in a televised address, comes a year after he met with the heads of NATO states in Lisbon and said Russia was willing to consider joining in on missile defense, if it could be included as an equal partner.

[PMAS]

Maybe that “Reset” button is broken

[Daffynition]

We're in good hands with our Secty of State. I'm not worried.

[Sarajevo]

Oh crap- it’s the Cold War all over again.

[marty60]

Wow Obama THAT’S quite an Achievement.

[mvpel]

Medvedev should contemplate the last five seconds of this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UX1wpqwNpK8 - to see what will become of his Iskanders.

[redgolum]

Somebody in DC had better start reading history, and start studying strategy.

A guaranteed way to provoke a war with Russia is to start building up on her borders.

The sheer stupidity is staggering.

Or to put it this way, how would the US react to a Russian missile shield in Canada and Mexico?

[PghBaldy]

If Bush were still POTUS, this would be called a new Cold War.

[GonzoGOP]

Or to put it this way, how would the US react to a Russian missile shield in Canada and Mexico?

You mean like the 12 Regiments of S-300VM "Antey-2500" SAMs that Russia has supplied to Venezuela? Those differ from a standard S-300 in that they are designed specifically to have an ABM capability. Should we blow the heck out of them if Medvedev goes after our ABM sites?

[Victor]

Somehow I think the Russkies want to play with Obama a bit before he leaves office next year.

This could be a very interesting year. The Russkies (and everyone else) know what a sap Hussein is.....

[GonzoGOP]

One other thing that nobody seems willing to contemplate is that the THAAD system is road transportable. So before he can shoot missiles at it, he has to find it. Now once we bring the X-band radar on line finding it is easy, that thing puts out a heck of a lot of wattage. But keep the ABMs moving and it makes their targeting solution a lot harder.

On the down side THAAD production can best be described as limited. Pitiful is probably a better term. Overwhelming the system with mass fire is very possible.

Of course a massive strike on a nations early warning and ABM systems involves starting a good old fashioned Global Thermonuclear War. After all if you are taking out my ABMs and early warning radars the only logical assumption is that you are launching your ballistic missiles. And not even Obama is stupid enough to get caught with my birds in the silos. Minuteman & Trident, global Armageddon delivery in 30 minutes or the next one is free.

[SunkenCiv]

That’s it, poke the bear.

Thanks kronos77.

[Pinkbell]

Time to hit the RESET button!

[mvpel]

On the down side THAAD production can best be described as limited. Pitiful is probably a better term. Overwhelming the system with mass fire is very possible.

From a LockMart press release: Lockheed Martin Awarded $789.8 Million THAAD Production Contract

The contract includes $694.9 million and for the production of 48 THAAD interceptors, six THAAD launchers, four fire control units and additional support equipment. An option for additional launchers in the amount of $94.8 million was also award for a total value of $789.8 million. These components will be employed by THAAD Batteries 3 and 4 for the U.S. Army. Delivery to Batteries 3 and 4 will be completed in 2013.

That's twelve interceptors per fire control unit, and 24 interceptors per battery. Plus they can use a Patriot to defend the site itself, and those interceptors come by the dozen.

[redgolum]

Yes. Though they are not on our borders, but are in our old sphere of influence.

We almost went to war when missiles were sent to Cuba.

[GonzoGOP]

We almost went to war when missiles were sent to Cuba.

Not Comparable. The missiles in Cuba were offensive missiles. These are just SAMs with attitude. If Russia had just shipped only defensive systems to Cuba we wouldn't have cared.

[redgolum]

That is not how Russia views them. They view strategic defense as shield for when the knife comes in.

There is a reason for that. Russia has been attacked by a lot of nations who did similar things, from the British to the French, and ending off with the Germans. They don’t like anyone on their borders. Any student of history could tell you how they would react to the US putting a missile shield right next door.

[agere_contra]

But Free Traders don’t say that “China is your friend”.

That would be the sort of retarded straw-man argument that protectionists make up when they have nothing substantive to say.

What Free Traders *in fact* say is that “Free Trade is your friend”.

If India or Brazil or China or the UK makes something or does something better, faster or cheaper than a domestic supplier then you should be free to go and buy it from them. Your choice, not the Governments.

You can either allow people to do what they want with their own damn money - or you can use protectionism and tariffs to grow Government and to turn your domestic industries into toxic welfare dumps.

Which will it be?

[dragnet2]

But Free Traders don’t say that “China is your friend”. What Free Traders *in fact* say is that “Free Trade is your friend”.

Oh sure, I'm glad we no longer make anything in the U.S., and depend on Communist countries now..So what if it's left tens of millions of Americans unemployed...Look how well it's worked out! Millions have lost their jobs, homes, businesses, careers while big biz off shored tens of hundreds of thousands of companies and jobs to cheap labor land...All this while government imported tens of millions of low wage labor illegal aliens here.

Yes, it's all worked out so well!

Thank God for free trade!