U.S.-Poland Missile Deal Roils Russia

Russian General Threatens Strikes; Doesn't Rule Out Nuclear Option

(CBS/ AP)  Russia warned Poland on Friday that it is exposing itself to attack - even a nuclear one - by accepting a U.S. missile interceptor base on its soil, delivering Moscow's strongest language yet against the plan.

American and Polish officials stuck firmly by their deal, signed Thursday, for Poland to host a system that Washington says is meant to block missile attacks by rogue nations like Iran.

Moscow is convinced the base is aimed at Russia's missile force, however, and the deal comes as relations already are strained over the fighting between Russia and U.S.-allied Georgia over the separatist Georgian region of South Ossetia.

"Poland, by deploying (the system) is exposing itself to a strike - 100 percent," Gen. Anatoly Nogovitsyn, the deputy chief of staff of Russia's armed forces, was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying.

He noted Russia's military doctrine sanctions the use of nuclear weapons "against the allies of countries having nuclear weapons if they in some way help them." Nogovitsyn said that would include elements of any strategic deterrence system, according to Interfax.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said the deal "absolutely clearly demonstrates what we had said earlier - the deployment has the Russian Federation as its target."

However, speaking at news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Medvedev appeared to take a softer position than Nogovitsyn's on the Polish base, saying that "it is sad news for all who live on this densely populated continent, but it is not dramatic."

Condoleeza Rice responded to the Russian threat from the Georgian capital, accusing the Russians of refusing to accept U.S. assurances that the missile defense system is not aimed at them and not their business, reports CBS News Chief Foreign Correspondent Lara Logan.

"Poland is an independent country. And it's an ally of the United States. And it's a democratic country, to whose security the United States is committed" through NATO, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said during a visit to Georgia's capital, Tbilisi.

"Russia should welcome having democracies on its border, not threaten them," she said.

Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski said Poland was willing to let Russia inspect the future missile base to give Moscow "tangible proof" that it is not directed against Russia's arsenal, the Polish news agency PAP reported.

At a news conference earlier in the day, Nogovitsyn reiterated Russia's frequently stated warning that placing missile interceptors in Poland and a linked radar post in the Czech Republic would bring an unspecified military response. But the general's subsequent reported statement substantially stepped up the war of words.

Russian troops went deep into Georgia in the fighting, raising wide concerns that Russia could be seeking to occupy parts of a small, pro-U.S. neighbor that has vigorously lobbied to join NATO, or perhaps force the Georgian government to collapse.

"I think the Russian behavior over the last several days is generally concerning not only to the United States but to all of our European allies," Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said when asked about Russian threats against Poland.

He also suggested that earlier U.S. offers for broad cooperation with Moscow on the missile defense program might be reevaluated considering the latest developments.

The missile deal, struck Thursday after more than 18 months of talks, must still be approved by Poland's parliament and signed by Rice during a future visit to Warsaw, possibly next week.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the United States agreed to help augment Poland's defenses with Patriot missiles in exchange for placing 10 missile defense interceptors in the eastern European country.

He said the deal also includes a "mutual commitment" between the two nations to come to each other's assistance "in case of trouble." That clause appeared to be a direct reference to Russia, whose resurgent muscle worries Polish leaders.

"Simply, the existence of this installation increases Poland's security," Polish President Lech Kaczynski said.

Making a visit to Russia, German Chancellor Angela Merkel suggested Russia be included in the missile defense system.

"From my point of view, this deal is not directed against Russia," she said in Sochi at a joint news conference with Medvedev. "We will continue to advocate that talks be continued on how we can convince Russia of this and also ... include it," she added.

[mydiatribe]

Boy these Russians are earning themselves a good stern talking to.

Only five more months before the Obama tongue lashing or will that be a tongue licking, I can never remember, who is suppose to apologize first us right? We should go first for being Americans, right?

As soon as President Obama apologizes
everything will be all right. There will be enough oil, salad oil that is for everyone.

Forgive us for ever doubting your lack of experience, oh wise one!

[james77773]

Russia has eyes and hears on everything, and they were ready for Georgian attack on Osetia.

[james77773]

US networks lie to americans, including this one.

[thegoodtexan]

Only five more months of George Bush and then we will have to start rebuilding our relationships with all the nations in the world. We are paying Poland to put our missile bases in their country. They were holding out for a high price and we just capitulated and agreed. This is like the relationship with a prostitute. We don''t have any real allies anymore. And besides, we are not a wealthy nation anymore.

[prudentvoter]

It only makes sense that if somebody sets up missile bases against you, you do likewise. Also if Russia is attacked they will retaliate against the country that attacks them and all the countries that use that country as a surrogate, ie the US. It also makes sense that if Russia were to launch a nuclear attack, it would not respond with just one missile, they would unload the whole gun.

[thepitbull13]

Read the post timestamped at 1:48 first

[thepitbull13]

They kinda had their backs against the wall. Putin is a KGB man, an old style hardliner, be wary. Instability in this region poses a major threat to these former republics of the USSR......aside from all of this IMO I do not believe the Mr.Obama has the foreign policy experience or the cojonas to stand up to things like this. I do believe there are 2 sides to every story and to make the best decision WE all need to know both to make an educated, wise decision which requires thought and not just name calling. Your take? Sane or reasonable responces only.

[thepitbull13]

Consider this, the volume of troop surge into Georgia was large, fast, and effective. Military ops like this do not happen at the spur of the moment, it requires planning which takes months. They had to cross mountain ranges to get there. This had to have been tactically pre-planned by the Russians, to say otherwise IMO would be nieve. Poland saw this, possibly saw this coming and they said oh @#*%! You can''t blame them for wanting defenses against what seems to some(and not just in this country) to be a reconstitution of the Soviet Union. Ukraine is probably @#%*ing too. These countries are asking for western support for they inherently do not want return to being ruled by communism/authortarianism. They have experienced being ruled under the thumb and have had the taste of freedom. It''s not just the US''s problem or intrest to resolve this potentially volitile/unstable situation. People say Reagan negotiated with the Russians, he did so with showing of military force of Nato(had missle pointed at them).

[trrrorislamx]

HEY GEORGIA,,, stop targeting and killing civilians

keep you hands off south osetia and abkhazia

American citizen telling the truth about Georgian invade in South Osetia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCwTo9AdT2c&feature=related

The first day war of Georgia against Ossetia.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2DncU5FdCU&feature=related

Georgian attack on capital of Ossetia is beaten off.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQ4NSNtV8Jk&feature=related

Georgian terrorist armies kill inhabitants of South Ossetia.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnob0TQDeN8&feature=related

[trrrorislamx]

Flew in from Miami Beach BOAC
Didn''t get to bed last night
Oh, the way the paper bag was on my knee
Man, I had a dreadful flight
I''m back in the USSR
You don''t know how lucky you are, boy
Back in the USSR, yeah

Been away so long I hardly knew the place
Gee, it''s good to be back home
Leave it till tomorrow to unpack my case
Honey disconnect the phone
I''m back in the USSR
You don''t know how lucky you are, boy
Back in the US
Back in the US
Back in the USSR

Well the Ukraine girls really knock me out
They leave the west behind
And Moscow girls make me sing and shout
They Georgia''s always on my my my my my my my my my mind
Oh, come on
Hu Hey Hu, hey, ah, yeah
yeah, yeah, yeah
I''m back in the USSR
You don''t know how lucky you are, boys
Back in the USSR

Well the Ukraine girls really knock me out
They leave the west behind
And Moscow girls make me sing and shout
They Georgia''s always on my my my my my my my my my mind

Oh, show me round your snow peaked
mountain way down south
Take me to you daddy''s farm
Let me hear you balalaika''s ringing out
Come and keep your comrade warm
I''m back in the USSR
Hey, You don''t know how lucky you are, boy
Back in the USSR
Oh, let me tell you honey

[alphaa10-2009]

Correction-- "The PRC leadership, however, did not adopt the Western economic model wholesale, and perhaps smugly notes Russians invited disaster by adopting a demand economy by going, frozen-turkey, off a centralized economy."

[alphaa10-2009]

It''s the Economy and the Politics, Stupid

One poster said, "The Russian people are hard working, very intelligent and highly educated people. The country has no, zero, national or foreign debt, and the economy is growing so fast that they don%u2019t have enough people to fill all the jobs. They are not going away."
---

Some Russian economic sectors are growing, notably energy. Your reference to a neck-snapping acceleration of job demand is somewhat deceptive, however, since demand is uneven, and most of it started fairly recently from (often critically) low levels.

The Russian economy is now a hybrid mixture of state and private enterprise, somewhat like the PRC. The PRC leadership, however, did not adopt the Western economic model wholesale, and perhaps smugly notes Russians invited disaster by adopting a command economy by going, frozen-turkey, off a centralized economy.

(see "It''s the Economy and the Politics, Stupid"--2)

[alphaa10-2009]

It''s the Economy and the Politics, Stupid--2

The result in Russia was chaos and a bitter distaste for Western notions of the supposed good life of capitalism. Today, most Russians want only assured stability, and the staples of life. They have been through so very much since the 20th century began, and are ready to build something with which they can prosper. Russia''s single, most notable deficit is a more democratic form of government-- ie. one that actually works to represent the people.

Is this an implied comparison with America? Not directly, for we, too, find our own system far less democratic than it should be. Too many in our congress, both GOP and Democrat, are indebted (enfiefed) to corporate power. Our political system since at least 1994 has been run or heavily influenced by a GOP (and its corporate patrons) which blesses the doctrine of economic elitism (with its unstated corollary of political power and influence).

(see "It''s the Economy and the Politics, Stupid"--3)

[factsearcher]

AVSuvorov said, "Regarding the issue of "democracy", I would say it does not exist in the U.S.A. because the citizenry is too uninformed and too easily manipulated. A more accurate description of the form of government here is a "corporatocracy" - "a government of the corporations, by the corporations and for the corporations" (irrespective of which party is in power)."
---
Uncomfortably close to the truth. Look at two, supposedly separate, ideological groups-- the patrons of McBush, and the patrons of the old Clinton machine. Most Americans would be hard pressed to distill an ounce of ideological difference between the two patron camps.

In fact, Ms. Clinton, when financially pressed, even appealed to billionaire, right-wing publisher Richard Mellon Scaife. Yes, the same Scaife who funded the continuing series of "investigations" into the Clinton machine during the Clinton years!

The core of the problem is the American congress claims it must run after the corporate dollar in order to feed its perpetual-motion campaign effort. As Sen. Richard Russell famously observed, the first two years, a senator is a statesman, the second, a politician, the third, a demagogue.

We need federal funding of elections-- the only way for all voices to be heard, the only way to escape the engulfing corruption of "the best congress money can buy".
Posted by alphaa10

I approve and second the motion.

[alphaa10-2009]

It''s the Economy and the Politics, Stupid--3

That said, our best assurance of a peaceful future from both Russia and China is the introduction of democratic pluralism, the idea of many equal voices in the administration of the country. But this top-down policy model is inert without certain preconditions. True reform proceeds from the base, upward, and derives from economic structures which benefit everybody, and empower everybody equally. Only then do the markers of a liberal democracy suddenly appear as symbols (not as necessary-and-sufficient causes) of a vital, thriving society.

Through history, we find economic instability often begets political chaos. But even without economic instability-- and during periods of rapid prosperity, in particular-- all nations must guard against the hijacking of their govenrments by aggressive nationalist ideologies. Both Russia and China watched as the simple-minded nationalism and proto-fascist, toxic residue of Reaganism filtered through the American system of values. "Amerika uber alles", we have begun to discover, is an addictive delusion inviting only ruin and sorrow.

George W. Bush embodies this disappointment, and his annointed successor, John McBush, promises only more of the same.

[trrrorislamx]

American citizen telling the truth about Georgian invade in South Osetia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCwTo9AdT2c&feature=related

The first day war of Georgia against Ossetia.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2DncU5FdCU&feature=related

Georgian attack on capital of Ossetia is beaten off.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQ4NSNtV8Jk&feature=related

Georgian terrorist armies kill inhabitants of South Ossetia.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnob0TQDeN8&feature=related

[flajoe1]

"in exchange for placing 10 missile defense interceptors in the eastern European country."

Isn''t it a mistake to say how many interceptor missiles are placed in Poland? If you know there are 10 interceptors you can just overwhelm the system by firing 15. This was one of the arguments against SDI. If the Soviets figured out what the SDI interceptors could handle they would just fire more missiles and overwhelm it. It can be argued that missile defense systems just lead to an escalation of missiles.

[trrrorislamx]

hmmmm is this a 3AM PHONE CALL MOMENT???

who do you really want answering the phone???

Hillary Clinton 3 am Ad
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-VFA7L2RcE&feature=related

DEMONIC-RATS LEAD THE CHORUS OF USEFUL IDIOTS,,,

Skit featuring albright, Kim J Ill, and Osama bin laden

The David Zucker Madeleine Albright ad
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hzH6X8g34Y

HUSSEIN CANNOT EVEN HANDLE HILLARY,,, lol

hahaha

Barack Obama blinks in Hillary face-off
http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2008/08/14/2008-08-14_barack_obama_blinks_in_hillary_faceoff.html

Russi
a rolls over Georgia, Hillary Clinton does the same to Barack Obama. Now we know who''''''''''''''''s boss.
Obama blinked and stands guilty of appeasing Clinton by agreeing to a roll call vote for her nomination.

"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing." Albert Einstein

[trrrorislamx]

DIDN''T HUSSEIN,,, THE GREAT ANOINTED ONE RESOLVE THIS ALREADY???

did not tim kaine tell the world that HUSSEIN has ended the war between georgia and russia,,,

Video - Tim Kaine: Obama Ended The War Between Georgia and Russia
http://beltwayblips.com/video/tim_kaine_obama_ended_the_war_between_georgia_and/

Tim Kaine: Barack Obama Solved The Crisis In Georgia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w43m6vQrEYw

He ventured forth to bring light to the world

The anointed one''s pilgrimage to the Holy Land is a miracle in action - and a blessing to all his faithful followers
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/gerard_baker/article4392846.ece

The One
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mopkn0lPzM8

[trrrorislamx]

WHY RUSSIA WENT INTO GEORGIA,,, to kill muslims,,,

Tensions between Georgia and Russia were strained over the Pankisi Gorge, a lawless region of Georgia that Russia said had become a haven for Islamic militants and Chechen rebels.
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0107564.html

GET SOME RUSKIES,,, GET SOME,,,

NEVER FORGET THE RAPES OF BESLAN GIRLS!

Terror at Beslan
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1316935651894423094

RAPES IN BESLAN: IN MUHAMMAD%u2019S FOOTSTEPS
http://www.chroniclesmagazine.org/News/Trifkovic04/NewsST091304.html

Forget Not the Children of Beslan
http://kenlydell.typepad.com/islamic_evil/forget_not_the_children_of_beslan/index.html

Religion of Peace??? More like a cult of death.
http://www.terrorists-suck.org/why_suck/beslan.html

Radical Islamists must be stopped:

comments on the Beslan child slaughter.
http://www.sullivan-county.com/immigration/list.htm

Rapes in Beslan: in Muhammed''s Footsteps
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1214617/posts