Russian officials spoke with a combination of consternation and befuddlement as American missiles arrived in Poland and were deployed less than 50 miles from the border with the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.
“Officially, the Obama Administration claims the missiles are to defend Europe from an Iranian attack, but Iran has no missiles with a maximum range of the US battery, and it is unimaginable that Iran would launch an attack against Eastern Poland at any rate.
Ultimately the missiles seem to be there for political and not strategic reasons. Poland’s voters have expressed opposition to the missiles but their government was furious when the Obama Administration anandoned a previous missile battery plan, and has cheered the latest deployment as a symbol of growing US influence in the region.
Likewise the missiles don’t appear to be any serious threat to Russia’s security plans for the region, but the deployment so close to their border seems designed specifically to spite the Medvedev government, which feels obliged to respond.
On the new missiles to be deployed on ships in the Black Sea in Bulgaria and on land in Romania and Poland former Trident missile engineer Bob Aldridge-www.plrc.org-commented, "Whether on ships or land, they are still a necessary component for an unanswerable first strike". The problem is that the Pentagon aims to achieve a disarming first-strike capability and they seem to ignore Nuclear Winter. This leads inevitably to Launch On Warning and Nuclear War by mistake.
The world needs nuclear winter, those who survive will never allow it to happen again.
Experience is the best teacher.
Isn't it just sufficient to make the enemy clear that it has no succesful way of striking back?
Then the enemy could be forced to even get rid of its weapons which are no longer useful.
But, I think Russia will even suffer more from the international backlash they will encounter
when countries like Cuba, Brasilia and Venzuela see how Russia has left the Iran alone
in its struggle against sanctions and in delayed delivery of promised (and obviously payed for) defense weapons like the S300 system.
That international unreliability will result in an international response making clear to other countries that Russia became unreliable as a friend!! I think Russia will not survive the next 10 years as the country they are now if Medwedew stays in Power.
(Can somebody here verify what I was told, that Medwedews original name is Mendel, and that he is connected to a synagogue in Petersburg?)
Wolfgang
Given the state of our media and the spin put on facts before we get our news, I wouldnt be too sure of this. This tune follows a familiar pattern… everyones on board… maybe…not. This could very well be a feint by the Russians. And keep in mind this new development comes on the heels of the Korean torpedo affair.
It's just absurd and silly at this point for Russia to cry about Nato, now that they've chosen to throw Iran to the dogs.
From a distance it must be emphasized–Medvedev displays a certain kind of quickness and high intelligence, but he seems to lack bearishness.
More important, he seems very shallow in his mastery of Russian culture, literature, and history, especially in the 20th Century.
By contrast, Alexander Lebedev is clearly a witty fellow in the traditional Russian mode, and with a biting almost Gogolesque humor, as Putin too.
Well now, you did what the Americans asked you to do (stab Iran in the back) and look how you are treated…with total contempt. Serves you right,
2010-05-27
Senator Lugar wants to include "energy issues" to the list of possible threats to American
(or NATO-members) security. M-me M. Albright expressed a view, that Siberia ca not be just left
for one country (Russia, that is). Also, she expressed a trivial view, that such large army as the
US Army is will have to be used.
Indeed.
That's the logic of the big military effort: to use this investment. Maybe within 10 or 20
years – but use it. Poland is the launching pad, with the corrupt government on tow.
We will see the officials delivering "speeches" for a fee in the USA – that's the measure
of their services. Pervez Musharraf is already signed for the same – so the Pakistanis
should know who he is.
We are witnessing slow cooking of the frog. Podgotovka (preparations) is in the making.
But I think, that the Russians know that too.
George
Does Lavrov seem a little flustered?
One makes the assumption that nothing not an internal affair of the Russian Federation could make him seem flustered.
2010-05-28
Lavrov is flustered?
JFK was not?
Maybe the Russians would like to test the current US somnambulic reaction to some
(small…) rockets lurking from Cuba again. Or from Brazil (you see, the Iran deal…irritating…).
Just to protect the Russian Federation from some US-government pals of South America.
Like the likes of the democratic Pinochet of the past.
Being back to Lavrov – he is quite subdued. He tells ahead of Russian objections.
But the Russian real military reaction will be more resolute –
even if since their Afghan excursion 20 years ago they have little training (just one annoying
lice to slap), comparing with the constant training in real situations the US Army is receiving.
Iran and North Korea serve now as the explanation for massive military spending on
development – but the expense is only worth doing for real future target(s). Say, Russia will
stop flow of gas and oil for future non-payments…Than Senator Richard Lugar idea of
grave "energy threat" kicks-in, very conveniently – to regulate someone else's shop.
And I am afraid that my country – Poland – presents itself as a proxy military probing ground.
Of course, USA will protest, and even issue mighty threats against Russia to PROTECT not their land and people. People of Poland who en masse read correctly what is happening and
reject militarization. Foreign troops, let in by the current corrupt government (there was an
identical incident centuries ago, with the order of the Teutonic military Knights.
Alas, the US government is deaf to the voices of democracy today, when corrupting the
– so called – "Polish" government is so easy and suits US interests.
That is how it works since XIX century.
Marshal Ivan Koniev salvaged Krakow during the II-WW. That's not disputable.
Will some Russian generals have the same soft approach to Poland laced with rockets sticking
against the penguins of Antarctica (is any oil there, too? It is in Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Somalia).
I am really flustered.
George
Lavrov did not seem to expect the Ahmadinejad criticism. But that is probably not what flustered him, if he was flustered at all..
Maybe he should watch Sokurov's "The Russian Ark"a hundred times or so until he understands it.
Anyway, one is slowly beginning to appreciate the Leningrad Cowboys as much more Russian than Medvedev.