Russia wants to retain its right to obliterate Chekoslovakia by air, if need be.
From the Times of London:
Russia tonight threatened to retaliate by military means after a deal with the Czech Republic brought the US missile defence system in Europe a step closer.
The threat followed quickly on from the announcement that Condoleezza Rice signed a formal agreement with the Czech Republic to host the radar for the controversial project.
Moscow argues that the missile shield would severely undermine the balance of European security and regards the proposed missile shield based in two former Communist countries as a hostile move.
“We will be forced to react not with diplomatic, but with military-technical methods,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
After 14 months of negotiations, the US is struggling to clinch agreement with its other proposed partner - Poland - where it hopes to locate the interceptor missiles designed to shoot down any incoming rockets.
Washington insists that the system will not be targeted at Russia, but will act as a safeguard for Europe against regimes such as Iran. The plan was endorsed by Nato in April.
"This missile defence agreement is significant as a building block not just for the security of the United States and the Czech Republic, but also for the security of Nato and the security of the international community as a whole," Dr Rice said. "Ballistic missile proliferation is not an imaginary threat."
A change of government in Poland last November saw the country introduce a range of demands including US investment in its air defences in return for siting the missiles.
Poland's tough negotiating position has even led to a threat from the Pentagon to find an alternative site in the Baltic state of Lithuania.
"There are remaining issues, but the United States has made a very generous offer [to the Poles]," said Dr Rice today.
A year ago at the G8 in Germany, President Vladimir Putin of Russia surprised the US by suggesting that the radar could be hosted in Azerbaijan so that the technology could be shared.
Today's signing ceremony seemed to bury that idea. Addressing Russian anxiety about the anti-missile system in what used to be its backyard, Ms Rice added: "We want the system to be transparent to the Russians."
Mirek Topolanek, the Czech Prime Minister, said that the deal was an example of "our joint desire to protect the free world" and said his country could not afford to miss out as it had done after the Second World War, when it fell under Soviet influence.
"We were in the past in a similar situation and then we failed. We did not accept the Marshall Plan...we should not allow a second error of this kind," he said.
10 comments:
Pastorius,
As if the Jihadists weren't enough.
Mother Russia was taken over by Jihadists long ago,
just go out to Pravda.ru,
you'd be amazed at the neo-Nazi-Islamic alliance in Russia, with a Cossack flair.
Russia is beyond decadent--way past in fact. Think UK is bad--
Russia might as well just give it up and just call it Russiarabia.
Tragic end of what Could have been a great nation, tragic indeed.
Better to put our lot in with the Czechs, they have a bit more sense. I wish I was wrong about this,
but I lost hope for Russia years ago.
Damien and Natasha,
I think my friend Pamela puts it best, saying,
"Iran is Tattaglia. China/Russia are Barzini."
You have to know the Godfather to understand. But, the idea is that China and Russia are using the Islamic world as proxies to weaken the U.S.
Sadly, they don't understand they are playing with fire.
Anonymous,
You are right. Neither China or Russia have set themselves up well for the future, have they?
Anonymous,
You are right. Neither China or Russia have set themselves up well for the future, have they?
Pastorius,
Yes your right the Chinese and the Russians are playing with fire once they think we're out of the picture (or the Jihadist get impatient, they'll turn on them.
Off course I should have thought of this earlier, its also possible that they realize they are playing with fire and plan on double crossing their "Islamist allies" when the time is right, before they double cross them. I don't know, but we find out sooner or later.
I wasn't sure how I was going to word this, its late and I'm dragging butt a bit so this won't be as articulate as I would like it to be.
1. Russia, not only is the birth rate declining and has been for years, for various reasons of which I won't get into right now--the cultural shift has also slowly been increasing,
the rate of conversions to Islam in Russia is extremely high. Now the Russians will tell you that the Islam in Russia in held at check, I don't buy it, because of several reasons,
mainly the disillusionment with the system and the rise of nationalist groups since the Soviets fell--many of which are mixed with Islamists now, the social decadence in Russia with the poverty and infrastructure decay all contributes to the decay or apathy of the Russian social psyche.
That and the still effects of two wars, Chechnya has been a drain, the alliance between Russia and the Islamic world I'm afraid to say is not on of steering but one of co-dependence. Many I'm sure would disagree with me [Russians that is] but I do not see Russia as being in any position to even withstand the Islamic threat when the Jihadists to rise up--UNLESS,
of course, China gets involved.
2. Now China is a whole different matter, one, they are far from economically weak and two, though the gender gap may be widening they still are population wise, strong enough that if the Jihadists even peeped, Especially with the backing of North Korea, and the nuclear capabilities China has,
China would run their asses over. NOW--what Could be detrimental to China would be the agricultural demise, due to environment, population and too fast of development Plus natural disasters...China on that scale is somewhat teetering off and on the edge there, and possible and very likely future famine could be enough to send China over the edge, particularly with internal strife,
hard to say, and I haven't kept up with the state of affairs in Mongolia, so I would need to do some catching up there but,
China I think for now, can hold her own. Russia, no, Russia, is just a frickin mess.
Russia I think is just doing what is necessary to survive, China however, thats a tough one, they are backing Sudan and they've been somewhat mocking about it, they could very well be steering the situation to weaken the US,
but now, here is where China should be paying attention,
the Islamists and the MIM in the Philliphines (sic) and in Nepal, there is quite an Islamic hegemony spreading throughout Asia and China would be foolish to underestimate them.
It would be one thing if it was just the Islamists in themselves, but it isn't, its Islamists with the MIM, which is I do believe supported by North Korea,
I haven't focused that much on that region but, though China could hold her own, if the conditions were right, she might find herself in a very similar situ that she was when she was at war with Japan.
And I would think those rogue nations where the Islamist guerrillas are fighting with the MIM would be more of a concern than even Iran as far as China is concerned [looking at the economy of Iran, they aren't the most stable, not if you look at the internal indicators].
And that is relevant because at least in Iran there is internal unrest--where as in Asia, that increasing hegemony I would think would be far more dangerous to the future, and to China,
because she's literally would be somewhat surrounded.
Natasha,
It would seem to me that China is doing well at the expense of its individual citizens. Thta is, overall China is doing well economically, but many citizens are not effected.
Add to that the fact that China has set itself up for demographic collapse, and I don't think China is in nearly the good position people think they are. What happens in 20 years from now, when they have half the amount of people entering the work force?
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