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View Full Version : Russia proposes broad missile defense assessment in Europe



jetdawgg
04-05-07, 09:00 AM
YEREVAN, April 4 (RIA Novosti) - Russia is inviting EU and CIS countries to conduct a joint assessment of potential missile threats and is hoping to resume missile defense dialogue with NATO, the foreign minister said Wednesday.
"We agree that we need a thorough and joint assessment of technological, strategic and political issues related to European missile defense, said Sergei Lavrov, adding that Russia is ready to participate in these efforts.

The issue of the European missile shield has led to heated debates following the U.S. proposal earlier this year to deploy elements of its missile defense in Poland and the Czech Republic, citing possible threats from Iran or North Korea as a reason for the program.

Speaking at the Yerevan State University in the capital of Armenia, the minister said that Russia had never opposed joint efforts in preventing potential threats, but these efforts must be authentically collective and the threats must be real.

"Any unilateral moves in the sphere of missile defense should be seen as attempts to split Europe," Lavrov said.

"This is the reason why we regard the unilateral decision to place elements of the U.S. missile defense in Central and Eastern Europe as a potential risk to Russia and the whole of Europe," he said.

Lavrov reiterated that the attempts of a single nation to ensure its own security at the expense of others is an illusion and nothing could substitute international cooperation in such a sensitive sphere.

"That is why we are proposing to start a joint assessment of potential nuclear and missile threats to Europe, Russia and our neighbors in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)," the Russian minister said.

At the same time, Lavrov expressed hope that a spoken agreement between U.S. and Russian Presidents George W. Bush and Vladimir Putin last week to discuss in detail U.S. plans "would allow the participants to resume collective dialogue and cooperation between Russia and the NATO on missile defense."

U.S. plans to deploy elements of the missile shield in Central Europe are expected to cost $1.6 billion over the next five years. The program will later be expanded to include sea-based missiles and space-based missile tracking systems.

Russia sees the prospective deployment as a threat to its own national security, and fears the base may trigger a new arms race.

On March 28, the Czech government confirmed that it will begin official talks with the U.S. on the deployment of the system on its territory. The negotiations, which will start as soon as possible, will last through to the end of 2007.



http://en.rian.ru/russia/20070404/63067645.html

10thzodiac
04-05-07, 11:08 AM
As the only "in country" Cuban Missile Crisis Veteran here on L'neck, I just want to say this:

1) The last time the US put missiles on Russia's boarders (Turkey) the Russians 'tit for tat' put them in Cuba.

2) During the Cuban Missile Crisis there were many miscalculations that almost caused WW III.

3) I personally had at least one of fourteen FROGS, Russian battlefield Nukes pointed at my ass in Guantanamo. The Russian General had orders from the Kremlin that he could use them to repel an imminent American Invasion.

4) Our commanding officer 1st Lt. Skordas, Bravo Battery, 1st battalion, 11th Marines (supporting 2/1) told us that our invasion of Cuba was canceled one half hour prior to zero hour.

5) If we attacked Cuba, we would not be here now !

"I do not know with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones." ~ Albert Einstein

jetdawgg
04-05-07, 11:24 AM
10thzodiac a GTMO Jarhead:marine: . Leeward or Windward:D ?

10thzodiac
04-05-07, 12:34 PM
10thzodiac a GTMO Jarhead:marine: . Leeward or Windward:D ?

After we landed by MATS [707] we were ferried across the bay and waited until our howitzers arrived by prop. We went though Mainside a couple of times with different tactical markings (fool the enemy). We dug in behind Mainside by the Beach in a small valley. The Army had some Nike missiles on the hill at 2 O'clock.

I don't know if that was Leeward or Windward, you tell me. I remember something about Playa Cuzco on a map, could be wrong.

jetdawgg
04-05-07, 12:53 PM
After we landed by MATS [707] we were ferried across the bay and waited until our howitzers arrived by prop. We went though Mainside a couple of times with different tactical markings (fool the enemy). We dug in behind Mainside by the Beach in a small valley. The Army had some Nike missiles on the hill at 2 O'clock.

I don't know if that was Leeward or Windward, you tell me. I remember something about Playa Cuzco on a map, could be wrong.

Mainside is Windward.:usmc:

10thzodiac
04-05-07, 01:32 PM
Thanks Marine. !
I almost got nuked on the Windward side, good to know http://webpages.charter.net/connectingzone/agree/3.gif

FistFu68
04-05-07, 01:40 PM
:evilgrin: RATHER BE DEAD, THAN RED.:evilgrin:

10thzodiac
04-05-07, 06:47 PM
:evilgrin: RATHER BE DEAD, THAN RED.:evilgrin:

Animal Mother says he's not going to die for "Freedom!" If he's going to die for a word, that word is "Poon-Tang." Why not have poon-tang be what you die for? Makes as much sense as anything else, then go marching off through a fiery war zone singing the Mickey Mouse Club theme? Hell, that seems almost sane! As Eight Ball says, "...under fire Animal Mother is one of the finest human beings in the world. He just needs someone to throw hand grenades at him for the rest of his life." Amen.

FistFu68
04-05-07, 07:14 PM
:evilgrin: MY MOTHER WAS HELD BY THE RUSSIAN'S,IN WW11;USE YOU'R IMIGINATION? HER,EXPERIENCE WOULD MAKE THE DIARY;OF ANN FRANK.READ LIKE A FRIGGING COMIC BOOK,IT SPEAK'S FOR ITSELF!!:evilgrin: :scared:

10thzodiac
04-05-07, 07:47 PM
MY MOTHER WAS HELD BY THE RUSSIAN'S,IN WW11;USE YOU'R IMIGINATION? HER,EXPERIENCE WOULD MAKE THE DIARY;OF ANN FRANK.READ LIKE A FRIGGING COMIC BOOK,IT SPEAK'S FOR ITSELF!!:evilgrin: :scared:

My mothers parents left Prussia and came to America because Russian Cossacks dismembered her fathers brother [without trial] with sabers in front of his father, my Great Grandfather.

http://www.logoi.com/pastimages/img/cossacks_2.jpg