Russia may target U.S. missile defense sites
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, right, listens at the Gorki residence outside Moscow, on Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2011, during a meeting with prosecutors / Mikhail Klimentyev,AP Photo/ RIA Novosti, Presidential Press Service
MOSCOW - 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.
Russia will station missiles in its westernmost Kaliningrad region and other areas if Russia and NATO fail to reach a deal on the U.S.-led missile defense plans, he said in a tough statement that seemed to be aimed at rallying domestic support.
Russia considers the plans for missile shields in Europe, including in Romania and Poland, to be a threat to its nuclear forces, but the Obama administration insists they are meant to fend off a potential threat from Iran.
Moscow has agreed to consider NATO's proposal last fall to cooperate on the missile shield, but the talks have been deadlocked over how the system should operate. Russia has insisted that the system should be run jointly, which NATO has rejected.
Medvedev also warned that Moscow may opt out of the New START arms control deal with the United States and halt other arms control talks if the U.S. proceeds. The Americans had hoped that the treaty would stimulate progress further ambitious arms control efforts, but such talks have stalled over tension on the missile plans.
"The United States and its NATO partners as of now aren't going to take our concerns about the European missile defense into account," a stern Medvedev said, adding that if the alliance continues to "stonewall" Russia it will take retaliatory action.
The U.S. plan calls for placing land- and sea-based radars and interceptors in European locations over the next decade and upgrading them over time.
Medvedev warned that Russia will deploy short-range Iskander missiles in Kaliningrad, a Baltic Sea exclave bordering Poland, and place weapons in other areas in Russia's west and south to target U.S. missile defense sites.
Medvedev added that prospective Russian strategic nuclear missiles will be fitted with systems that would allow them to penetrate prospective missile defenses.
He and other Russian leaders have made similar threats in the past, and the latest statement appears to be aimed at domestic audience ahead of Dec. 4 parliamentary elections.
Medvedev, who is set to step down to allow Prime Minister Vladimir Putin reclaim the presidency in March's elections, leads the ruling United Russia party list in the parliamentary vote.
A sterm warning to the U.S. and NATO issued by Medvedev seems to be directed at rallying nationalist votes in the polls.
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If the US fires first, the Russians fear the missiles will be used to stop any of their remaining missing from getting through and, they argue, that possibility reduces their defensive deterrence. However, if the US fires first their new anti-missile anti-missile sites would be the first things to go up rendering them pointless.
Proper US response should be, "Fine with us if it makes you feel better." A dismissive response is both accurate and has the nice side benefit of reversing the domestic political gain the Russian leadership was trying for by treating that leadership as too weak to be capable of making a meaningful threat. The subtle message would be "Don't try to drag us into your domestic politics".
Wouldn't we think that we have the types of leaders in Russia and America that would be classified as intelligent and 'reachable' enough, to assure each side that any missile deployment is NOT intended or aimed at the other?
And in this case of Euro-American defense, hasn't the message gotten across, that the subject missiles are deployed EXCLUSIVELY against the religiously-fanatic, APOCALYPTIC-MINDED, "MADMEN-GOING-NUCLEAR", who rule the current Iranian regime?
But then again, we have been cursed with anti-America Hussein Obama, whose weak, uncoordinated policies, vacillate from;
"appearing to protect America to accommodating, supporting, encouraging and REWARDING adversaries, enemies, hostile regimes (as Iran), religious extremists and others who seek to destroy us."
As the result of Obama's weak and failed policies, our adversaries and enemies, feel that they can operate against us with relative ease.
Replacing Obama with a REAL ABLE leader, whose policies are STRONG AND COORDINATED, would be very appropriate resolution to America's being cursed with an enemy foreign agent President, whose policies are NOT Pro-America, are NOT Pro-West, and continually lie in the best interests of our adversaries and enemies!
as stated above:
Obama's... weak, uncoordinated policies, ... vacillate from:
"appearing to protect America to accommodating, supporting, encouraging and REWARDING adversaries, enemies, hostile regimes (as Iran), religious extremists and others who seek to destroy us."
If two people each had a sword they might not attack each other, but if one were given a shield this would be a decisive advantage and encourage an attack. The opponent would naturally look for a shield too, and if unobtainable would look for another sword.