US rejects Russian missile shield concerns

[Guest guest]

This is interesting. The US missile shield has always been intended to be small and only effective against a few missile fired from a place like North Korea or China. The Russians have far too many missiles to be affected by anything we might build. Perhaps if they only want to blow up one city we might be able to stop that, but a heavy attack wouldn't even notice the shield. Aside form that, the missile shield hasn't been tested against ICBMs yet, so no telling if they would even make an intercept. Further, the Russians already are reported to have decoys and other things that would decrease the effectiveness of any missile shield.

This is posturing by the Russians because they know their military isn't worth anything, aside from nukes. They want to remain a dominant player on the world stage and nukes are really the only way they can do that. It's posturing, but also very dangerous. This kind of saber rattling is what ends up boxing a country into corner where they fell the need to lash out. What we need also need to be concerned about is the potential that Russia or China will give nukes to Cuba or Venezuela. Either of those nations would be glad to have such weapons and Chavez in particular might be willing to use them.

In a message dated 12/30/2009 12:51:08 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, no_reply writes:

US rejects Russian missile shield concernsThe United States has rejected fresh concerns raised by Moscow about its planned missile defence system.

[Guest guest]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8434260.stm

Page last updated at 20:57 GMT, Tuesday, 29 December 2009

US rejects Russian missile shield concerns

The United States has rejected fresh concerns raised by Moscow about its planned

missile defence system.

The State Department statement came after Russian PM Vladimir Putin said the US

plans were holding up a new nuclear disarmament treaty.

The statement said the two issues were completely separate, and discussions

would continue separately.

Russia and the US are yet to find a successor to the Cold War-era Start I

treaty, which expired on 5 December.

Analysts say Moscow wants a clause in the new treaty that would limit the scale

of any US defence shield.

The US has shelved plans for missile defence stations in Central Europe, but

intends to use a sea-based system.

The BBC's Imtiaz Tyab in Washington says it is clear from Mr Putin's comments

Russia still sees any missile shield as a threat - one it is now pledged to

counter.

But the hardening of Russia's position must be frustrating for US President

Barack Obama, our correspondent says, after the concessions he has made.

'Keeping the balance'

The US statement said that Washington and Moscow's joint position recognising

the inter-relationship between defensive and offensive weapons systems had not

changed.

" While the US has long agreed that there is a relationship between missile

offence and defence, we believe the Start follow-on agreement is not the

appropriate vehicle for addressing it, " it said.

" We have agreed to continue to discuss the topic of missile defence with Russia

in a separate venue. "

Earlier Mr Putin said the US plans would allow them to do whatever they wanted

and thus upset the balance.

He said that " to preserve the balance, we must develop offensive weapons

systems " , but did not specify what kinds he had in mind.

Earlier this month, President Dmitry Medvedev said Russia would continue to

develop new warheads, delivery vehicles and launchers despite the disarmament

talks, describing this as " routine practice " .

Russia and the US are negotiating in Geneva on the details of a new treaty. Last

week, the Russian foreign minister said a deal was very close.

The 1991 Start I treaty led to deep cuts in nuclear arsenals by Washington and

Moscow.

Both sides have agreed to continue observing Start I until they reach a new

agreement.

Under a joint understanding signed in July, deployed nuclear warheads should be

cut to fewer than 1,700 on each side within seven years of a new treaty - a huge

cut on Soviet-era levels.

Nonetheless, between them the two countries will retain enough firepower to

destroy the world several times over.

The BBC's Rupert Wingfield- in Moscow says that Russia's nuclear arsenal is

the only part of its military that remains world-class, and therefore it fears

that it could be disadvantaged by cuts to nuclear capability.

Mr Putin's comments could be a negotiating ploy, rather than a reversal of

Russia's commitment to a treaty, our correspondent says.

Analysts in Moscow think what Mr Putin really wants is a commitment from

Washington to only deploy a small-scale missile defence system, that would be

effective against Iran and North Korea but would not neutralise Russia's nuclear

missile force, he adds.