Posted on 07/11/2008 12:01:29 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said the results of Iran's missile tests prove that US plans for a defence shield in Europe are unnecessary. Mr Lavrov said the tests confirmed Tehran had missiles with a limited range of up to 2,000km (1,240 miles). The US says it wants shield sites in Poland and the Czech Republic to defend it and its allies from rogue states. Meanwhile, Iraqi and Israeli officials denied media reports that Israeli air force jets trained in Iraqi airspace. The reports said Israeli aircraft had used Iraqi airspace - and US bases in Iraq - to practice for a potential strike on Iran's nuclear facilities. Iran has denied Western assertions that it is developing nuclear weapons and insisted its nuclear programme is intended for peaceful purposes. Following widespread condemnation over the recent ballistic missile tests, Iran said it was open to talks about its nuclear programme.
The official news agency, Irna, said the chief Iranian nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, would meet the European Union's envoy, Javier Solana, on 19 July in Geneva - although this has not yet been confirmed by Mr Solana's office. The BBC's Jon Leyne in Tehran says that although Iran seems willing to talk, it is unclear whether it is willing to give any ground.
Iran denies Western assertions that it is developing nuclear weapons and insists its nuclear programme is intended for peaceful purposes. Some analysts saw this week's missile tests as an attempt by hardliners to discourage compromise. The EU urged Iran to suspend uranium enrichment within its nuclear programme, saying that the missile tests "can only reinforce the international community's concerns". "The EU calls on Iran to respond to the demands of the entire international community... and achieve a negotiated solution to the nuclear issue," a statement issued in Paris said. The tests are said to have included the Shahab-3 missile, which is capable of reaching Israel and a number of US allies in the region, but not the proposed US shield bases in Poland and the Czech Republic.
Earlier this week, the US signed an agreement with the Czech Republic which would allow the Americans to build a tracking radar station there as part of the system they hope will be operational by 2012. Washington also hopes to place 10 interceptor missiles in Poland but has yet to reach agreement with the government there. 'Imagined' threat The BBC's James Rodgers, in Moscow, says repeated assurances from senior figures in Washington have failed to convince Moscow that the proposed shield represents no danger to Russia. Mr Lavrov told reporters on Friday the tests showed that "a missile defence shield with these parameters is not needed to monitor or react to such threats". He said Moscow was convinced that what he called the imagined nature of the Iranian missile threat was a pretext for the missile shield. "We believe that any issue related to Iran should be resolved through negotiation, through political-diplomatic means... and not through threats," he said.
Moscow fears locating the system near its borders could weaken its own defences or be used to spy on Russia. It has previously threatened to aim its own missiles at any eventual base in Poland or the Czech Republic.
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Oh. Okay then.
fyi
Go to the BBC website for links and video.
/sarc
Page last updated at 09:53 GMT, Thursday, 10 July 2008 10:53 UK
Iran test-fires more missiles
Iran has carried out a second day of missile testing in the Gulf, pictures of which were shown on state TV.
The state media said several types of missiles were fired as well as a torpedo capable of hitting enemy submarines.
“the imagined nature of the Iranian missile threat”
Dumb commie. Next he’ll point out those NK missiles can’t reach Alaska or Hawaii, let alone fly over those places, unlike the pretty graphics the Air Force was promoting years ago. The dumb commie doesn’t understand that with big government capitalism imagined threats can be very profitable, greased by returns to politicians laundered as campaign contributions, family hires, outright bribes. Bush came in with the Star Wars Part Deux money, you can bet he’ll push this boondoggle to the end.
I don’t want US Government bases in Poland or Czech Republic. We don’t need it.
Israel can’t benefit from it either.
Considering that our own Demagogues say that missile defense will never work, and that Obambi still derides it as “unproven”...... it seems that the Russkies must have a bit more faith in our technical prowess than do our own Demagogues. Russia is always hyperventilating against a “missile shield” that our libs have been saying for 25 years is an impossibility......
They could be following the North Korean pattern, then blow up some sort of nuclear device.
This from folks who have their capital city completely surrounded by hundreds of anti-missile interceptor rockets.
Gates: Iran's test shows missile defense needed in Europe
Posted on Wed 09 Jul 2008 10:07:40 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Iran's test of a long-range missile shows the need for the United States to expand its missile defense system into Europe, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Wednesday.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates says Iran's test of a long-range missile shows that it is "a real threat."
Where, in your opinion, are they “needed” and “beneficial”......? I’m curious.
“it seems that the Russkies must have a bit more faith in our technical prowess”
And you should give the Russians their due too that the Iranian long range missiles, let alone miniaturized nukes for warheads, are myths.
The Russians can only “logically” think the shield is meant against them, somehow. They do no understand how big government and the military industrial complex interact.
It’s amazing. America’s post-cold war goodwill in Czech and Poland could be blown by this boondoggle. I thought we had a chance with Rumsfeld, the former star wars lobbyist, gone we could be gone with this. Evidently not.
We should just strike their nuke facility and be done with it. That way they can’t blackmail or intimidate other countries. I’m sure Reagan would order a strike on it.
2 + 2 = 5 in the Bush Administration.
The opposite is more likely true, the missile firings show the Iranians don’t have the range to hit Europe.
More Star Wars lies.
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