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Missile Defense

Russian military leaders have expressed concern about US plans for a national missile defense system. Will defense technology be limited by possibilities for a strategic imbalance? Is this just SDI all over again?

dirac_10 - 12:11pm Jun 19, 2001 EST (#5435 of 5461)

j.stromer-galle - 12:02pm Jun 19, 2001 EST (#5433 of 5434)

Putin's comments reinforce what I find so problematic about the Bush administration's plan to unilaterally build a missile defense system.

Here's what he said from the same AP story...

***

Putin indicated that abandoning the 1972 ABM treaty and building a defense shield would force Russia to put multiple warheads on their nuclear missiles and lead to a new arms race as other countries try to build systems to beat the shield.

He also insisted that Bush's proposed missile defense shield would never work.

''It's like a bullet hitting a bullet. Is it possible today or not? Today experts say that it is impossible to achieve this,'' Putin said

***

Which of the two completely contradictory statements are you talking about?

Is this really what we want? A new arms race? I certainly do not.

Russia has had a gun to our head for 50 years. Far better to let them have a dozen guns than a dozen ruthless dictators getting to aim theirs at our head. Very easy choice.

And the truth is that Russia is just looking for the proper bribe. They are negotiating.

bking55 - 12:21pm Jun 19, 2001 EST (#5436 of 5461)

I don't feel we should be working without checks and means in place. We need to know what is going on as well as Russia needs to know. I feel we need to open this up so both Russia and the United States can take advantage of the knowledge we both have. China needs to know that we are united and will remain that way with regards to military strengths.

gladzooks - 12:27pm Jun 19, 2001 EST (#5437 of 5461)

It's amazing in the 6 months W's been in office he has pretty much destroyed what America had left of a good reputation around the world. And it looks like he's going to single-handedly reignite the arms race.

Who would of thunk it? He's a [bleep] moron.

dirac_10 - 12:28pm Jun 19, 2001 EST (#5438 of 5461)

cod37 - 11:12am Jun 19, 2001 EST (#5429 of 5435)

Putin's statements were quite logical

Except for the clear logical contradiction that it will work against Russia but won't work against N. Korea. Which is total nonsense. And so obvious.

and it's clear he does not want to break the Russian budget on expensive military programs.

Since the country is starving, not a whole lot of disposable income.

It's our budget that will be broken on fairly useless items that do little to grow our economy.

It's a tiny percentage of the military budget. But don't let the facts affect your analysis.

One point on NMD: Unlike other methods of delivery, we will know exactly who launched a missile at us.

At least better than claiming that Russia would be affected but not N. Korea.

Missile trajectories are very predictable and can be easily back-tracked to their point of origin.

Predictable is right. Ballistic stands for sitting duck.

Anyone with any ideas about launching a missile at us knows that we will be able to retaliate will devastating results.

Ignoring a wealth of possible launches that retaliation would have no effect on, even increase the probability of.

In short, we have a formidable deterrent and don't need NMD.

Except for accidental launches by Saddam's cracker-jack engineers. And Saddam dying of cancer and wanting to get even with his enemies. And Saddam being overthrown, and in fear for his life, hiding in a deep hole and bringing the heat down on his enemies. Or Saddam having a mole or whatever in Iran and tricking them to launch. In which case Iran would be obliterated, and all evidence lost, Saddam would be out of his box and Los Angles would cease to exist.

Your assumption that the various thug dictators out there getting the weapons will act responsibly is a blind faith I don't share.

dirac_10 - 12:34pm Jun 19, 2001 EST (#5439 of 5461)

gladzooks - 12:27pm Jun 19, 2001 EST (#5437 of 5438)

It's amazing in the 6 months W's been in office he has pretty much destroyed what America had left of a good reputation around the world.

Well, we haven't produced a Stalin, Hitler, Tojo, Mao. So Europe and Asia have little to talk about.

And it looks like he's going to single-handedly reignite the arms race.

Arms race? With who? Bankrupt Russia with a smaller economy than Holland?

Who would of thunk it? He's a [bleep] moron.

Well yeah, that's true, but clearly not a Hitler, Stalin, Tojo, Mao. Pretty good system, if you ask me.

almarst-2001 - 12:46pm Jun 19, 2001 EST (#5440 of 5461)

Putin Says Russia Would Counter U.S. Shield - http://dailynews.yahoo.com/htx/nyt/20010619/ts/putin_says_russia_would_counter_u_s_shield_1.html

"Such a step would eliminate verification and inspection requirements, he said, reviving an era in which Russia would hide its abilities and intentions."

"Russia had taken an interest in ensuring that China's strategic concerns are addressed in the debate."

"The transparency of our action is very important, lest none of the nuclear powers would feel abandoned or that two countries are making agreements behind their backs."

"there is a commitment to preserve the balance of security that we have now in the world as a whole and in this sense, China is an important element, and not only China."

Those points made by Putin are the most importand in my view. Particularely the last one.

I don't know if all agree, but it is my firm believe that the US/NATO actions in Iraq and particularely Yugoslavia already have triggered the new arms race. Just check the revival of Russian arm sales all over the world, particularely China and India. Again, it must be clear every nation today would resist to be interfeared in internal affairs, treatened, blackmailed or even attacked over any Washington/NATO proclaimed reason.

Everyone wants and have to be respected. The respect can only be mutual. Otherwise its a fear. And the only way to fight the fear is to make it mutual.

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