More Missiles, More Defense, More Missiles...

Turning back the clock or just going backwards into the "COLD"?
by Jeff Nelson

Russia to over-haul their nuclear arsenal?  Where is this going now?  Yesterday at the EU summit in Portugal, President Putin pretty much said that the world will see another arms race and that Russia is now facing a "Cuban Missile Crisis." 

Recently tensions have grown between the U.S. and Russia concerning the missile shield being placed in two sites within former Warsaw Pact countries. Russia claiming that it is a threat to their security and the U.S. claiming that there is an urgent need for a missile defense system in Europe.  The U.S. wants to place an early warning radar and missile guidance system in the Czech Republic and a ground based interceptor missile system in Poland.  Poland being a little too close for Russian comfort. 

There have been warnings issued from Russia, and the U.S. officials have visited Moscow trying to sell the plan for the proposed systems.  However, President Putin has urged not to force a deployment on the radar or the interceptors and freeze the plans for the defense facilities in Europe.  He has also threatened to abandon the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty, a key nuclear missile treaty between the U.S. and Russia.   

The U.S. finds it necessary to build the defense system to protect against the growing threat of rouge nations like Iran.  The U.S. has suggested that the site establishment might be delayed while they work on the Russian concerns.  Delaying activation of the sites is also an option, waiting to activate the sites until after a more concrete threat like Iranian missile testing has been conducted.

This all comes after Russia pulled out of the Conventional Forces in Europe treaty (CFE)  back in July.  Russia has been flexing its political muscles and the CFE was one of the first moves.  Russia is poised to begin quick production of small- and medium- range missiles, and they have already stated they are ready to build them. They just need to make the political decision.  Russia also expressed interest in expanding the INF to include other countries besides the U.S. and Russia.

I thought it was bad when they pulled out of the CFE causing an upset among European countries.  Now they have threatened to pull out of the INF and begin a short-notice build up of missiles.  You would think after two World Wars and a long drawn out Cold War, that we as people would want to continue to progress forward and not regress backwards.  The INF was responsible for eliminating around 3,000 U.S. and Russian missiles near the end of the Cold War.  The U.S. needs to resolve this issue before we see another arms race over the "potential threat" of a missile defense system in Russia's backyard.   America did not like it when the U.S.S.R. started construction on missile silos in Cuba.  Whether or not the missile defense system is meant for Russia, the U.S. should think a little harder about the impression its making.  Russia, on the other hand, should really consider their response in light of their recent political escapades.  So goes the political dance, like a game of chess, but is a checkmate something the world really wants to experience?

Sources:

Agence France-Presse - Moscow, Russia Ready to Renew Short-, Medium-Range Missile Production, Defense News, Oct. 26, 2007, available at http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?F=3139197& C=europe

Putin compares U.S. shield to Cuba, BBC, Oct. 26, 2007, available at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7064428.stm

Missile shield is 'urgent'-Bush, BBC, Oct. 23, 2007, available at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7058622.stm

Putin wants U.S. date to quit Iraq, BBC, Oct. 18, 2007, available at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7050237.stm

Russia urges U.S. missile 'freeze', BBC, Oct. 12, 2007, available at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7040778.stm

Russia suspends arms control pact, BBC, July 14, 2007, available at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6898690.stm

John Marcus, Russia sends warning to the West, BBC, July 14, 2007, available at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6898897.stm

Comments

[Joe]

So I was discussing this article and the whole general story last night with my roommates, brother, and best friend.

First, it is disturbing that Russia might be producing a whole new supply of missiles because of the Interceptors being placed in "their Warsaw Pact territory." We really don't need a couple more thousand Russian missiles circulating on the black markets. Although, Russia seems to have a firmer grip on their situation now than they did back when the U.S.S.R. broke apart.

Second, why is it such a big deal? I understand it makes Russia uneasy, but why don't they try to convince a NATO country to let them put a radar site and interceptor missile sight in? Gee... I don't have to think on that one too much. Russia supports Iran developing nuclear technology, and they had that whole Communism debacle for a while. Call me crazy but I don't think very many countries would like Russian military sites within their borders. The same thing can be said for U.S. military sites, but the Czech Republic and Poland obviously agreed to put the sites in... We aren't in the Colonial days anymore as much as some would disagree. *Cough(Osama)*Cough

Finally, my main point and what our discussion last night evolved into, the U.S. should have a team of international inspectors go in and make sure its all to spec. Seriously, wouldn't that quell some of Big Red's nausea? Obviously the world knows about the sites and where they are at because if we didn't then Russia wouldn't be throwing a fuss, and Jeff wouldn't have had something to write about. Have inspectors go in. Make sure the U.S. has only ground based interceptor missiles to be used to defense purposes anyway. Make sure the U.S. isn't stockpiling a nuclear arsenal aimed at Moscow to ease that Ex-KGB president's paranoid fears of the "potential threat."

Yeah you could argue that the U.S. doesn't even have to build the missile defense system. You could also argue that Iran should develop a nuclear program instead of taking the offers for light water reactors to be built. My argument might not be so appealing were it not for the power hungry Putin trying to maintain his grip on Russia, and the recent rash moves he's made as we lead up to their March elections. I voiced it...