Russia’s top military officer has threatened to carry out a pre-emptive strike if Washington goes ahead with its plan to build a missile defense shield in Eastern Europe.
The Obama administration has been pushing for a deal to build missile defense facilities in Eastern Europe through the NATO alliance, over the strong objections of the Russians. Washington claims its purpose would be to protect from any Iranian missile threat. But Moscow believes it would undermine their nuclear deterrent.
Chief of General Staff Nikolai Makarov on Thursday at a international conference attended by U.S. and NATO officials said, “A decision to use destructive force pre-emptively will be taken if the situation worsens.”
As a compromise, Moscow has proposed running the missile shield jointly with NATO, but the alliance has rejected that proposal. Russian officials have described the diplomatic negotiations with the U.S.-led effort a “dead end.”
U.S. Senator John McCain complained that Russia is using this issue as an “excuse to have a military buildup in this part of the world, which is at peace, is really an egregious example of what might be even viewed as paranoia on the part of Vladimir Putin.”
Maybe, but paranoia also describes Washington’s supposed purpose behind the missile defense shield. Iran’s military capacity is minimal compared to America’s and most of Europe’s and the notion that a threat from the weak, isolated Iran calls for such a build-up in Eastern Europe is not rational (unless he’s doing it for purely political reasons).
More likely, Putin is justified in his paranoia, and the real reason for Washington’s plan is to weaken Russia’s defenses and maintain military hegemony over the region. That the Obama administration would risk potential war for the scheme is reckless indeed.
Why even mention that the US says the shield is to deter Iran? The idea is so absurd it doesn’t deserve to mentioned. It’s like saying Hillary has secret police protection to deter Justin Beber from f-cking her.
The last sentence created an image in my mind so horrifying it beggars description.
Good.
MadCain as always projecting his psychopathologies onto everyone else.
McCain needs to shut the hell up. When has this lunatic not opened his mouth and spewed out this insanity? I'm happy the Russians are saying what they're saying. This should, with hope, screw over the American plans. Good!
And the Russians are absolutely correct in their suspicions. To say that this missile shield is to guard against Iran is patently absurd. That they were refused to participate in this so-called "defense" is proof positive it's all based on lies.
I don't believe that they are threatening to attack these missile defense sites if negotiations fail. They aren't stupid. Their "threat" was probably taken out of context. Just like the lies about Iran, that "Iran threatens to wipe Israel off the map".
What they probably said is that they may act pre-emptively if they feel that an attack on Russia (that will involve these NATO missile defense sites) is imminent.
That's not unreasonable, but don't expect our mainstream media to tell the truth about what the Russians really said and what their statement really means.
IMHO, they would be irresponsibly stupid if they don't do that.
Funny, I thought it is extremely smart for the Ruskies to threaten NATO, these American and Euro pussies only attack defenseless populations.
IMHO, it's the ONLY way Russia can stay independent and not become a Slave of NATO!
I don't think that destroying those systems would result in WW3, NATO would have no other choice than to accept that. Actually, I didn't think that Russian politicians would be so wise to realize the threat!
I wish Russia good luck und hopefully they will be successful, at least that little what;'s left from the status quo helps everybody and not only Russia! Also the common people in the US! Nothing would be so bad than when there is only one power dictating everytyhing.
W9
Of course McCain is saying such things anything to cover the fact that it is the US that is actually doing the military buildup !
Huzzah for the Russians. Dismantle the Military-Industrial Complex and stop this lunacy.
AMEN
One must never forget that the Cuban Missile crisis was caused DIRECTLY by the United States placing Nuclear Missiles on the Turkish Border, the response was to put missiles onto Cuba and the US didnt like it,
Now what is the US doing again, putting Missiles on the Russian Border, do you think that the Russians who recently changed their laws to allow a Pre Emptive strike is going to stand by and allow such a thing!
Aid to Latin America has been diverted to make mischief in the former Soviet Union. It is sad to see poor Mexicans picking American crops and living in abject poverty.
It would be up to the Europeans, the Poles especially, to say no. The US could not build the system without the cooperation of an EU member. It is highly unlikely that Europe would accept to be a threat to Russia. Far from a done deal. BUT it does show the aggressive nature of the USA. Let's hope cooler minds prevail. Let's see if the new members of the EU have an ounce of sense.
For US, Israel and England even when people are playing in snow making snow angel is about Iran, they are communicating in secrecy with Iran..; therefore US, Israel and England need to start a war in the region or the third world war. It is not ONLY about being paranoid, is about keeping this sickness handy using it when is needed, Senator McCain knows what I am talking about, he is one of those people.
I suspect the Russian response was anticipated by the Obama imperium. Is the Pentagon secretly plotting a first strike?
Send McCain back to Vietnam. He obviously still did not learn his lesson
i hope they really ACT
I think McCain helped start the military buildup in the region, especially with Georgia. They cannot afford any of the weapons they have, so where did they get them? A gift from the USA taxpayers.
History proves that arms buildups always turn into war, and the US has been pushing its luck for at least 20 years. McCain's platform is wide, indiscriminate death.
Pakistan is refusing to let NATO supplies through to Afghanistan because of the US/NATO murder of 24 sleeping soldiers. And now Russia is threatening to close the northern supply route because of the Missile Shield. Will NATO then fly all the stuff to Afghanistan ? Professor J. Edward Anderson: The deployment of anti-missile missiles in Eastern Europe is part of a first-strike strategy. This leads to Launch On Warning by 2020. Der Spiegel 49/2011.
You are telling me that the vast Continent of Russia could not pulverize the United States many times over with its arsenal?
If you look at the second link John posted up, the story from the BBC, it says clearly this missle-defense system is to protect Europe from Iran or NORTH KOREA! Now doesn't that make it sound even more preposterous.
Washington is two faced and can never be trusted. Russia, China, and the emerging BRIC nations must do everything in their power to undermine sociopathic American imperialism, otherwise America will make a mess of every part of the world. The House, Senate, and Whitehouse are being controlled by global corporate interests, and Zionists who want perpetual war, and a police state in every country. Orwells 1984 is the guiding light for those who want humanity on a leash.
Why don't the Russians build a missile defense shield in Cuba, and we'll see the US howling against it.
Its not to be ignored, but be more concerned if Russia threatens to drop out of the Missile Technology Control Regime restrictions, to which Russia is a signatory. Russia wants to be number 2 or number 1 in arms technology.
Russian Nuclear missiles aimed at the United States are fired over the Arctic (not through a European path). I am not a missile expert, yet, I would think Russia missile Silos, and of course their mobile missiles would not be affected. Russia is a very vast country. Would European missile interceptors cut down the time, that much?
This is posturing between Russia and the United States. This has been Russia's main concern for years. They do not want to have a disadvantage. Plus, the Russians have the fastest cruise missile made by man. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BrahMos
John McCain has more in common with the Russian Generals then he does with the common citizen of the US. He is all war, all the time.
of course the Russians don't want to be at a disadvantage!? What exactly are you driving at here? The Russians are fully justified in not wanting a NATO engineered "missile shield" at their borders. Would the US allow Russia to install a missile shield in Canada or Mexico?
If you're honest, then you know the answer to this………..
We should never forget that it was a Russian General that prevented a nuclear war between the United States and the former Soviet Union. "This decision may have prevented an erroneous retaliatory nuclear attack on the United States and its Western allies. Investigation later confirmed that the satellite warning system had malfunctioned.[2]" as history tells us. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanislav_Petrov)
This matters because the less response time the Russians believe they have, the more the probability for error.
I didn't know mccain ever said anything without his threesome partners, lieberman and graham, there.
What's strange is that Russia's proposition to develop a joint European missile defense system has been turned down.
I guess you can't have Cold War 2.0 if everyone's on the same side.
"Russia threatens preemptive strike if NATO builds…"
I'm thinking that Russia isn't making ANY threats here. Nope. Golly, the Europeans had better spiffy up their home owners insurance.
Such a perfect example of Neocon [(actially Neo Nazi)] Statecraft….. And just the latest example…
Remember when it was Saddam's turn……. The Wolfowitz Cheney administration wanted the U.N. weapons inspectors to be able to look for WMDs in his palaces, bedroom….. any place which especially was an affront….. Then when nothing was found in the palaces or in his underwear drawers……….. suddenly the UN withdrew "their" inspectors and……… SADDAM was given a "choice," (ultimatum) To leave his OWN country, or be attacked by the U.S., England and those other "Willing" "foreign suitors" that the Bush Cabal was seeking days after ,moving into the white house for Iraq 's oil. see…….
This new Iran war plan has some of the same elements….. But this time, for whatever reason, Russia is involved, so there is nuclear intrigue…. Europe and the U.S. TELL Russia they intend to build a missile shield to protect Europe from, missiles from Iran. Russia sees the shield as directed against them…. U.S,. and NATO insist it's directed against Iran…….. which I believe it actually is …………. but NOT to intercept Iranian missiles……..but rather to be used as a bargaining chip to compel Russia to sit by quietly while the U.S. Israel and England devastate Iran… By giving Russia the choice (ultimatum) "Let us destroy Iran" or we will [need to] build a shield that would weaken you……. your choice" Now Russia is talking tough……. You wonder why….???
In the end, this isn't about Europe or Iran either….. It's all about Israel AGAIN ……. and preserving her primacy and her hegemony…… It's a Neocon world out there these days….. There time…………. until it isn't anymore…..
Russia could whisper "O" any trouble good bye London…………. It would be interesting to see what shift it would create…
Probably better "O" avoids nuclear war in this election year…………………………………………
We need to stop being the world police and start by staying out of everybodys business
Lets start with our own country with jobs and start bringing some of our work back here
and even maybe put up a wall to keep everyone else out that dosent belong here!