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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?

lunarchick - 11:42pm Jul 22, 2001 EST (#7309 of 7335)
lunarchick@www.com

~ http://www.webdesk.com/condoleezza-rice/
~ http://www.cfr.org/p/pubs/Rice_10-12-00_Transcript.html ~ http://www.chinaonline.com/issues/foreign_relations/NewsArchive/secure/2000/December/c000122656.asp
Powell’s influence

Despite Rice's credentials in the new Bush foreign policy team, it is retired General Powell who is expected to have the biggest clout in international affairs by dint of his overall popularity, long-term experience in the politics of Washington, and extensive military background.

Powell is generally considered to be cautious in foreign affairs, having opposed American military intervention in Kosovo and strongly resisted the American effort to save Kuwait after Iraq’s invasion in 1990.

While his views on China are not well-known, he is a proponent of greater trade with the country, and he has pledged to try to work with China and not view it as an adversary.

"We will work with those nations in the world that are transforming themselves, nations such as China and Russia," he said at a brief press conference after his nomination on Dec. 16. "We will work with them not as potential enemies and not as adversaries, but not yet as strategic partners, but as nations that are seeking their way."

"We will have areas of agreement and areas of difference, and we will discuss them in rational ways, letting then know of our values, letting them know of the principles that we hold dear," Powell said.

Powell also took a cautious stance on a National Missile Defense system, which Bush has pledged to build. While he supports the defense shield as an "essential part of our overall strategic force posture," Powell said that the new administration would have to make a "full assessment of the state of technology" before going ahead.

He also said before any decision is made, the United States would have to hold discussions with its allies and with "other nations in the world that possess strategic offensive weapons," including, presumably, China. Powell said such negotiations would be "tough."

With Beijing strongly opposed to the proposed missile shield, Powell's cautious stance could help ease a major irritant in Sino-U.S. relations.

lunarchick - 11:47pm Jul 22, 2001 EST (#7310 of 7335)
lunarchick@www.com

USA Senators for Bwsh-Putin dialogue .. http://www.chinaonline.com/reuters/China/07_22_2001.reulb-story-bcgrouprussiausacongress.html

levin81 - 12:25am Jul 23, 2001 EST (#7311 of 7335)

May I suggest to lunarchick to cut down on his feverish activity and stop polluting this forum. Very few people are unemployed these days to have time to click through your links. If you have nothing to say, it's no shame.

levin81 - 01:06am Jul 23, 2001 EST (#7312 of 7335)

The very subject of this forum is nothing, but not too subtle political provocation: "Russian military leaders have expressed concern ...."

Russian military and political leaders are nothing but a bunch of incompetent, corrupt nonentities. The European position made them realize that they have a bargaining power to exchange their concession to NMD for cash and in the process to gain some kind of respect from their population. Given the way they have run economy and war in Chechnya it's like getting a lot for nothing.

Hopefully, Bush administration understands this too. The best way to deal with the Russian goverment is to make to them abundantly clear that if they don't collaborate they will get no cash to steal and even more derision and disrespect from their own people for being total impotents, which they are. If they do collaborate, however, they will get to travel to the world conferences, treated like equals, which they are not, and have some little cash on the side. I think, Putin begins to understand these rules. He is just trying to see what is the maximal price he can get for playing his role.

rshowalter - 07:11am Jul 23, 2001 EST (#7313 of 7335)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

Levin, this thread is being effective, and every now and again, postings expressing the sorts of opinions you express make clear why it is needed.

To the extent that you express views the Bush administration stands for, you are isolating the United States, and diminishing its moral and practical power.

bilbobaggins0 - 07:18am Jul 23, 2001 EST (#7314 of 7335)
The emporer has no brains.

Bush is a damn fool, and is using inept Russia as a ploy to push his destabilizing missile defense system, which is both a danger to us(remember all of our recent accidents?), and a threat to many other nations, who consider the U.S. an aggressive, not a passive state. They will thus increase their own armaments and defense weaponry, thus igniting a new arms race.

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