Stalemate:U.S. and Russia missile fiasco.

Antaletriangle · 11-13-2008, 01:51 PM

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/...le-Defense.php
US rejects scrapping missile defense plans
TALLINN, Estonia: U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has rejected a Russian suggestion that both countries scrap plans to place defensive missiles in Eastern Europe.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said in a televised interview with French journalists broadcast Thursday that Moscow was willing to reconsider deploying Iskander missiles in its westernmost region of Kaliningrad if Washington did not place 10 missile interceptors in Poland and a missile-tracking radar in the Czech Republic.

Gates said that the proposal was not acceptable to the United States.

He also said the biggest threat to Russia's security was Iran and that Iskander missiles in Kaliningrad would lack the range to protect Russia from this danger.

Medvedev announced Moscow's intention to deploy the missiles a day after the U.S. presidential election.

Gates said Russia has nothing to fear from a defensive missile shield in Eastern Europe.

U.S. President-elect Barack Obama has said it would be prudent to "explore the possibility of deploying missile defense systems in Europe," in light of what he called active efforts by Iran to develop ballistic missiles as well as nuclear weapons.

Iran said Wednesday that it had successfully test-fired a new generation of long range surface-to-surface missile — one that could easily strike as far away as southeastern Europe with greater precision than earlier models.

The Sajjil is a solid fuel high-speed missile with a range of about 1,200 miles, Defense Minister Mostafa Mohammed Najjar said on state television. At that range, it could easily strike Iran's arch-foe Israel and go as far as southeastern Europe.
Medvedev: ready to respond if U.S. ends missile plan
http://www.reuters.com/article/world...4AC1OD20081113
PARIS (Reuters) - Russia could cancel its deployment of missiles near the Polish border if U.S. President-elect Barack Obama scraps plans for a missile defense system in central Europe, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said.

In an interview with French daily newspaper Le Figaro published on Thursday, Medvedev said Moscow had no choice but to react to U.S. plans to set up a network of missiles and radar systems near its own frontiers.

"But we are ready to abandon this decision to deploy the missiles in Kaliningrad if the new American administration, after analyzing the real usefulness of a system to respond to 'rogue states', decides to abandon its anti-missile system," he said.

"We are ready to negotiate a 'zero option'. We are ready to reflect on a system of global security with the United States, the countries of the European Union and the Russian Federation."

Washington says the missile defense system it plans to set up in Poland and the Czech Republic is needed to protect the United States against missile strikes from what it calls rogue states, notably Iran.

cont.on link above.

Medvedev Urges Obama to Rethink Missile Shield Plans (Update2)
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...iZG6Q&refer=uk
By Henry Meyer

Nov. 13 (Bloomberg) -- Russian President Dmitry Medvedev urged U.S. President-elect Barack Obama to reconsider plans to deploy a missile-defense shield in Europe, saying Russia's ready to drop its retaliatory measures in response.

Medvedev said his threat last week to deploy short-range Iskander missiles in Kaliningrad, a Russian region wedged between Poland and Lithuania, was a ``proportionate'' response to the ``unilateral'' U.S. missile-shield project promoted by President George W. Bush.

Russia is ready to ``reverse this decision'' if the new U.S. administration ``reconsiders all the consequences of the move to station missiles and radars and its effectiveness,'' Medvedev said in an interview with French newspaper Le Figaro, published today on the Kremlin Web Site.

Obama's office on Nov. 8 said the president-elect had made ``no commitment'' to the planned missile-defense sites in Poland and the Czech Republic. Russia has warned that the proposed shield, which the U.S. says is necessary to protect against attack by ``rogue states'' such as Iran, would threaten its security. The dispute has contributed to a post-Cold War low in U.S.-Russia ties.

`Cause for Hope'

Medvedev said the ``initial reaction'' from the incoming Obama administration ``gives us cause for hope.'' Russia is ready to resume talks on its proposal for a joint missile- defense system that would involve Russia, the U.S. and the European Union, he said.

``Our future partners are thinking about whether it's useful or not, effective or not,'' Medvedev said, referring to Bush's missile-defense plan. ``It looks like we have something to talk about.''

cont.on link above.

11-13-2008, 01:51 PM	#1
Antaletriangle Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: U.K. Posts: 3,380	Stalemate:U.S. and Russia missile fiasco. http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/...le-Defense.php US rejects scrapping missile defense plans TALLINN, Estonia: U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has rejected a Russian suggestion that both countries scrap plans to place defensive missiles in Eastern Europe. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said in a televised interview with French journalists broadcast Thursday that Moscow was willing to reconsider deploying Iskander missiles in its westernmost region of Kaliningrad if Washington did not place 10 missile interceptors in Poland and a missile-tracking radar in the Czech Republic. Gates said that the proposal was not acceptable to the United States. He also said the biggest threat to Russia's security was Iran and that Iskander missiles in Kaliningrad would lack the range to protect Russia from this danger. Medvedev announced Moscow's intention to deploy the missiles a day after the U.S. presidential election. Gates said Russia has nothing to fear from a defensive missile shield in Eastern Europe. U.S. President-elect Barack Obama has said it would be prudent to "explore the possibility of deploying missile defense systems in Europe," in light of what he called active efforts by Iran to develop ballistic missiles as well as nuclear weapons. Iran said Wednesday that it had successfully test-fired a new generation of long range surface-to-surface missile — one that could easily strike as far away as southeastern Europe with greater precision than earlier models. The Sajjil is a solid fuel high-speed missile with a range of about 1,200 miles, Defense Minister Mostafa Mohammed Najjar said on state television. At that range, it could easily strike Iran's arch-foe Israel and go as far as southeastern Europe. Medvedev: ready to respond if U.S. ends missile plan http://www.reuters.com/article/world...4AC1OD20081113 PARIS (Reuters) - Russia could cancel its deployment of missiles near the Polish border if U.S. President-elect Barack Obama scraps plans for a missile defense system in central Europe, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said. In an interview with French daily newspaper Le Figaro published on Thursday, Medvedev said Moscow had no choice but to react to U.S. plans to set up a network of missiles and radar systems near its own frontiers. "But we are ready to abandon this decision to deploy the missiles in Kaliningrad if the new American administration, after analyzing the real usefulness of a system to respond to 'rogue states', decides to abandon its anti-missile system," he said. "We are ready to negotiate a 'zero option'. We are ready to reflect on a system of global security with the United States, the countries of the European Union and the Russian Federation." Washington says the missile defense system it plans to set up in Poland and the Czech Republic is needed to protect the United States against missile strikes from what it calls rogue states, notably Iran. cont.on link above. Medvedev Urges Obama to Rethink Missile Shield Plans (Update2) http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...iZG6Q&refer=uk By Henry Meyer Nov. 13 (Bloomberg) -- Russian President Dmitry Medvedev urged U.S. President-elect Barack Obama to reconsider plans to deploy a missile-defense shield in Europe, saying Russia's ready to drop its retaliatory measures in response. Medvedev said his threat last week to deploy short-range Iskander missiles in Kaliningrad, a Russian region wedged between Poland and Lithuania, was a ``proportionate'' response to the ``unilateral'' U.S. missile-shield project promoted by President George W. Bush. Russia is ready to ``reverse this decision'' if the new U.S. administration ``reconsiders all the consequences of the move to station missiles and radars and its effectiveness,'' Medvedev said in an interview with French newspaper Le Figaro, published today on the Kremlin Web Site. Obama's office on Nov. 8 said the president-elect had made ``no commitment'' to the planned missile-defense sites in Poland and the Czech Republic. Russia has warned that the proposed shield, which the U.S. says is necessary to protect against attack by ``rogue states'' such as Iran, would threaten its security. The dispute has contributed to a post-Cold War low in U.S.-Russia ties. `Cause for Hope' Medvedev said the ``initial reaction'' from the incoming Obama administration ``gives us cause for hope.'' Russia is ready to resume talks on its proposal for a joint missile- defense system that would involve Russia, the U.S. and the European Union, he said. ``Our future partners are thinking about whether it's useful or not, effective or not,'' Medvedev said, referring to Bush's missile-defense plan. ``It looks like we have something to talk about.'' cont.on link above.