US offer Missile Shield to Russia – Do they need it?
Ian Brockwell
April 18, 2007
The United States are hoping to ease Russian concerns, over their planned Missile Defense Shield in Poland, at NATO hosted talks to be held in Brussels on Thursday.
High level officials from NATO and Russia will be involved in discussions that the US hope will cool down the row that has developed over the last month.
President Vladimir Putin has warned that the deployment of 10 interceptor rockets in Poland could revive a Cold War arms race, but some have accused him of using the situation to divide the West.
Head of the US Missile Defense Agency, Lieutenant-General Henry Obering, is expected to announce that the shield would protect most of Europe, but could be expanded to cover the entire continent, even Russia!
Some European countries are skeptical about the shield, like France, who view diplomacy and its own nuclear deterrent as sufficient.
One can easily understand Putin’s worries about having such missiles so close to home, especially as the Bush administration have shown the world, in the last few years, that their motto seems to be “The best defense is offense”.
George Bush has repeatedly proclaimed himself the “War President”, and that hardly encourages countries like Russia to believe that such a shield is purely for protection and peaceful purposes.
The Shield is apparently designed to shoot down missiles fired at the United States, but from whom? Surely, the Bush administration does not believe that Iran is capable of doing this? Is it really likely that Iran can produce missiles that can reach the United States (in any quantity), that can not be destroyed by existing defense systems?
Lieutenant-General Henry Obering’s offer to include Russia in the Shield is odd to say the least. Is he confusing Russia with some other country? Does he honestly think Russia needs some help protecting itself, especially from a country like Iran, who it has no quarrel with?
I would not presume to know what President Putin’s real thoughts are on the shield, but maybe he is thinking that a US President, who has displayed a strong liking for invading oil rich countries (of which Russia is one), is getting a little too close for comfort?
High level officials from NATO and Russia will be involved in discussions that the US hope will cool down the row that has developed over the last month.
President Vladimir Putin has warned that the deployment of 10 interceptor rockets in Poland could revive a Cold War arms race, but some have accused him of using the situation to divide the West.
Head of the US Missile Defense Agency, Lieutenant-General Henry Obering, is expected to announce that the shield would protect most of Europe, but could be expanded to cover the entire continent, even Russia!
Some European countries are skeptical about the shield, like France, who view diplomacy and its own nuclear deterrent as sufficient.
One can easily understand Putin’s worries about having such missiles so close to home, especially as the Bush administration have shown the world, in the last few years, that their motto seems to be “The best defense is offense”.
George Bush has repeatedly proclaimed himself the “War President”, and that hardly encourages countries like Russia to believe that such a shield is purely for protection and peaceful purposes.
The Shield is apparently designed to shoot down missiles fired at the United States, but from whom? Surely, the Bush administration does not believe that Iran is capable of doing this? Is it really likely that Iran can produce missiles that can reach the United States (in any quantity), that can not be destroyed by existing defense systems?
Lieutenant-General Henry Obering’s offer to include Russia in the Shield is odd to say the least. Is he confusing Russia with some other country? Does he honestly think Russia needs some help protecting itself, especially from a country like Iran, who it has no quarrel with?
I would not presume to know what President Putin’s real thoughts are on the shield, but maybe he is thinking that a US President, who has displayed a strong liking for invading oil rich countries (of which Russia is one), is getting a little too close for comfort?
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