Vladimir Putin confronts US with threat to arms pact(threaten to scrap INF treaty)

Times of London ^ | 10/13/07 | Tony Halpin

[oldbill]

Big deal.

Russia is now only 140 million people, half the US, and its male longevity is approaching that of Africa. Much of its army is Muslim conscripts who would rather fight for Chechnya than Moscow.

Only its nukes keep them in the game, and that’s why it doesn’t want the US negating them with missile defense. That’s also why it wants to ally with China to counter the US.

Unfortunately, the US under Hillary and the filibuster-proof Democrat Congress, in spite of American superiority, will give in to the pressure from any tyrant nation, big or small.

It’s going to be a long time wandering in the wilderness guys. Better get used to it. And when the journey is over, you’ll be speaking Spanish.

[Lurker]

Let Putin do it.

It's not like they were actually living up to their treaty obligations anyway.

L

[LjubivojeRadosavljevic]

Your an idiot, I swear.

You're an idiot, I swear. /sarc :-)

[Eagles6]

I may not like some of President Bush’s policies but I do not believe that he will back down on this. Under his leadership he has proven that the US is not a “paper tiger”. The fight has been taken to to islamists on the ground of our choosing and been seen through for 5 years + despite world and dem ankle biting.

[The Pack Knight]

The 1987 treaty between the US and Soviet Union helped to end the Cold War by eliminating medium-range nuclear and conventional missiles. It removed Soviet SS20 and US cruise missiles from Europe that were the focus of mass protests in the 1980s.

Huh? Wasn't it the missles helped end the Cold War, or more specifically the money the Soviets spent to build theirs?

[The Pack Knight]

Exactly. Oil money or no, they don't want to go down this road again. They could double their oil reserves tomorrow and they still wouldn't have enough money to even think of keeping up with us in another arms race.

We could probably use extra the motivation to rebuild our military anyway.

[JadeEmperor]

" It's not like they were actually living up to their treaty obligations anyway."

Actually, they had to. There is a framework of reciprocal inspections with any arms treaty, besides, with the surveillance technology we have we could see any violation and hold them to the letter. As long as there is a letter.