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Russia 'will match West in new arms race'
Times Online ^ | February 8, 2008 | Tony Halpin

Posted on 02/08/2008 9:19:05 AM PST by Ivan the Terrible

Vladimir Putin accused the West of triggering a fresh arms race today and gave warning that Russia was now rich enough to respond with a new generation of high-tech weaponry.

President Putin attacked the United States and Europe for expanding Nato close to Russia's border at a time when Moscow had closed military bases abroad. He said that Russia would stand up to the West and defend itself against US plans to establish a missile defence shield in Eastern Europe.

“A new arms race has started to unfold,” Mr Putin told ministers and regional governors in a televised address. “It's not our fault, we didn't start it...funnelling multibillions of dollars into developing weapons systems.

“We are being forced to take retaliatory steps. Russia has, and always will have, a response to these new challenges. In the near future, Russia will start production of new weapons systems that will not be inferior and in some cases excel those held by other countries.”

Mr Putin also accused Western governments of seeking to gain control of the vast energy reserves that have fuelled Russia's booming economy. He said: “Many conflicts, foreign policy actions and diplomatic moves smell of oil and gas. Behind all that there often is a desire to enforce an unfair competition and ensure access to our resources.”

The President has clashed repeatedly with the US over its plan to install ten interceptor missiles in Poland and a radar station in the Czech Republic. Washington says that the shield is intended to prevent attacks from rogue states such as Iran, but Moscow insists that its own security is threatened.

Mr Putin is also at odds with the West over independence for Kosovo. He pulled Russia out of a landmark European arms control treaty in December after accusing Nato of bad faith in failing to ratify the agreement.

“Nato itself is expanding. It's approaching our borders. We drew down our bases in Cuba and in Vietnam. What did we get? New American bases in Romania, Bulgaria,” Mr Putin told the State Council.

In a combative speech, he also set out plans for Russia's development until 2020 in a clear indication that he intends to remain in control long after the election as president on March 2 of his anointed successor, Dmitri Medvedev. He plans to serve as Prime Minister under Mr Medvedev, who is campaigning on a promise to continue “Putin's Plan”.

Mr Putin said that Russia was respected again after his eight years in power, adding: “I know there is a lot left to do, but the course has been set.”


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: armsrace; coldwar2
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1 posted on 02/08/2008 9:19:11 AM PST by Ivan the Terrible
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To: Ivan the Terrible

Bush needs to look into Putin’s eyes again. He has no soul.


2 posted on 02/08/2008 9:22:30 AM PST by Sig Sauer P220
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To: Ivan the Terrible

Didn’t the USSR try that? And didn’t it bankrupt them — while still producing virtually nothing that could stand up to our miltech?

Go for it, Putin. Drive Russia right into the ground, you evil POS. BTW, somehow I don’t think the Russian people will like the results. And they tend to have a very direct way of dealing with such things. When the new Russia, same as the old Russia (USSR) thanks to you, Putin, decides they’ve had enough of your crap, you’ll only have yourself to blame for how badly it ends for you...


3 posted on 02/08/2008 9:25:50 AM PST by piytar
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To: Ivan the Terrible

The old arms race never ended...it was just temporarily suspended.


4 posted on 02/08/2008 9:26:04 AM PST by stuartcr (Election year.....Who we gonna hate, in '08?)
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To: Ivan the Terrible
What did we get? New American bases in Romania, Bulgaria

Putin, you are ringed with American/NATO bases precisely because your Russia is the same bully it has always been. Romania, Bulgaria and Poland have had enough of you.

5 posted on 02/08/2008 9:26:19 AM PST by agere_contra
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To: Ivan the Terrible
Russia demographics, manufacturing, military recruits and quality are in the toilet and will be for decades, if not more.

No one who can manufacture, maintain nor operate are existing or will exist for the foreseeable future.

I don’t see the Russians going outside of Russia for equipment and private contractors.

It’s all just more internal consumption Mau-Mau BS from the worlds coldest third world country.

6 posted on 02/08/2008 9:27:50 AM PST by Leisler
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To: Ivan the Terrible

“What did we get? New American bases in Romania, Bulgaria”

Difference is, those countries WELCOMED our presence.


7 posted on 02/08/2008 9:35:22 AM PST by Slapshot68
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To: piytar

"the storage facility in Sayda Bay is intended to hold submarine 120 reactor sections. It is planned to build a facility with the name “Regional Center for Disposition and Storage” – for 40 reactor sections and for 18 “large objects” – by which are meant ships that had accidents but for the cutting up of which into manageable sections the technology does not yet exist. "

8 posted on 02/08/2008 9:37:07 AM PST by Leisler
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To: Leisler

Bluster, exactly. Our defense budget is 10x larger than theirs. The Russian population is shrinking and the Chinese are looking for Lebensraum.


9 posted on 02/08/2008 9:43:22 AM PST by TexasRepublic (When hopelessness replaces hope, it opens the door to evil.)
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To: Leisler

Yup, pretty much sums it up. Just wanted to comment on this line:

“...but for the cutting up of which into manageable sections the technology does not yet exist.”

Maybe not in Russia, but the tech for this certainly exists in the West...


10 posted on 02/08/2008 9:49:45 AM PST by piytar
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To: Sig Sauer P220

Bring ‘em on....its about time to end their rhetoric.....


11 posted on 02/08/2008 9:51:20 AM PST by illiac (If we don't change directions soon, we'll get where we're going)
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To: Ivan the Terrible

Russia’s general Jack D. Ripper.


12 posted on 02/08/2008 9:51:39 AM PST by mefistofelerevised
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To: piytar
I think post Chernobyl, there just isn’t the willing labor force to, um, heroically dismantle Russian glow in the dark projects.
13 posted on 02/08/2008 9:57:10 AM PST by Leisler
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To: Ivan the Terrible

blah-blah-blah (Russian accent)


14 posted on 02/08/2008 10:05:44 AM PST by Proud_USA_Republican (We're going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good. - Hillary Clinton)
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To: piytar
Didn’t the USSR try that? And didn’t it bankrupt them — while still producing virtually nothing that could stand up to our miltech?

Yes, but they don't have ticking time bombs of medicare and social security to worry about paying for.

15 posted on 02/08/2008 10:07:49 AM PST by Trailerpark Badass
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To: Leisler
As Eva Gabor once said on the Green Acres T.V. program, "Ruth is stranger than friction."
16 posted on 02/08/2008 10:08:21 AM PST by Zuben Elgenubi
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To: Proud_USA_Republican

Appears the arm the terrorist plan is working well and the next step is to push from the Fatherland...IMO we need to beaware of the BEAR and their allies in the Demoncrat Pary!


17 posted on 02/08/2008 10:09:36 AM PST by iopscusa (El Vaquero. (SC Lowcountry Cowboy))
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To: Ivan the Terrible

Bring it on!


18 posted on 02/08/2008 10:10:06 AM PST by JPJones (Those who sacrifice Conservatism for Republicanism shall receive neither.)
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To: TexasRepublic

The Chinese don’t need it, but they can do it just because they wanna’.Whos gonna stop Hsu? Not us!


19 posted on 02/08/2008 10:12:17 AM PST by redstateconfidential (If you are the smartest person in the room,you are hanging out with the wrong people.)
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To: Ivan the Terrible
accused Western governments of seeking to gain control of the vast energy reserves

Baku has always been the eye of the hurricane for Russia since oil was first produced from there. Which Euro oil companies are bidding this time? Royal Dutch? BP? Watch out for those Turks.

20 posted on 02/08/2008 10:13:42 AM PST by RightWhale (Clam down! avoid ataque de nervosa)
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