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Outside View: BMD dilemmas -- Part One
Moscow (UPI) Sep 2, 2008 An analysis of America's global missile defense system shows that Washington is deploying its elements primarily in Eastern Europe rather than Japan, other Asian countries or Australia. This is probably because Washington does not want to irritate China, which could respond by stepping up the development of its own missile program and increasing the number of intercontinental ballistic missiles on combat duty. On the other hand, Russia's opinion, in line with the stereotype of the last 15 years, may be ignored -- at worst it will reply with "yet another serious warning." In line with this thinking, it seems strange that the Russian leaders have finally given an adequate response to the Georgian aggression in South Ossetia, despite the Western reaction. Russia does not want to be dragged into another arms race, but it should not ignore the emerging threats. Its most obvious reply to the U.S. missile defense deployment would be equipping its Topol-M missiles with supersonic maneuverable warheads, using jammers, and reducing the boost phase of Russian missiles. It is also important to equip the armed forces with new MIRVed missiles. Russia could also revive its program to develop global missiles, which could be put into near-Earth orbits and directed at enemy territory while bypassing missile defenses. It may be worth revising the role of tactical nuclear weapons. First of all, Russia should give up its unilateral commitments to reduce them, separate warheads, or redeploy in the middle of the country. Maybe it should even station them as far out as possible, say, in the Baltic enclave of the Kaliningrad Region. Currently Tochka-U tactical missiles with a range of 72 miles are stationed there. Russia could also deploy Iskanders, with a range of up to 300 miles. Initially any missiles in Kaliningrad would be strictly non-nuclear, but they could be equipped with nuclear warheads when Poland hosts the interceptors and the radar starts monitoring Russian territory from the Czech Republic. START-I, the strategic arms control treaty between the United States and the Soviet Union, expires at the end of next year. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov believes no vacuum should be allowed to develop in the sphere of arms control, and so a replacement treaty is likely to be negotiated. However, for obvious reasons reducing the number of strategic offensive arms enhances the role of missile defense systems -- their combat effectiveness is inversely proportional to the number of attacking missile warheads they are meant to defend against. Therefore, Russia should keep an adequate nuclear deterrent in the next few decades, which must become one of the most important military and political tasks. The new treaty should not be one-sided, as START-I was. Russia is facing real threats. Russia is tolerated and sometimes even taken into account primarily because of its nuclear missile shield. No matter what U.S. military leaders may say, neither Russia nor the United States can fully protect itself against a missile strike. Therefore, now that the United States is deploying its missile defense in other countries and in space, Russia should make sure that its retaliation would still deal unacceptable damage to the enemy. (Yury Zaitsev is an academic adviser at the Russian Academy of Engineering Sciences in Moscow. This article is reprinted by permission of RIA Novosti. The opinions expressed in this article are the author's and do not necessarily represent those of RIA Novosti.) (United Press International's "Outside View" commentaries are written by outside contributors who specialize in a variety of important issues. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of United Press International. In the interests of creating an open forum, original submissions are invited.) Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Share This Article With Planet Earth
Related Links Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com All about missiles at SpaceWar.com Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com
Czechs expect first US funds from anti-missile deal: report
Prague (AFP) Sept 2, 2008The first cash to fund Czech research stemming from Prague's agreement to host part of a US anti-missile shield should be sent by month's end, a Czech scientist told the CTK news agency Tuesday. |
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