Medvedev: Russia may target missile defense sites

ap ^ | 11-23-2011

[cutty]

President Dmitry Medvedev says Russia will aim its missiles at the U.S. missile defense sites in Europe if Washington fails to address Russian concerns on its missile defense plans.

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He also said ...that Moscow may opt out of the New Start arms control deal

[Le Chien Rouge]

The Russians should be a little more concerned about the overflow of Chinese entering Siberia as well as the influx from the Religion of Peace into greater Russia.

[American in Israel]

Russia’s ICBM’s are so antiquated...

Russia is deploying a new series of nuclear tipped missiles with warheads designed with the aid of US supercomputers. The new Russian SS-X-27 missile is being moved directly into deployment with an advanced 550 kiloton nuclear warhead made by the Arzamas-16 nuclear design bureau.

The original version of the TOPOL - mod 1 version - is designated the SS-25. This mobile missile is quite capable and can reach the US with a variety of weapons packages, including nuclear warheads of Russian design...

Defense officials, however, are worried that the new deployment of a highly accurate, MARV warhead missile only highlights the weakness of aging US strategic systems... The maneuvering warhead and extreme accuracy indicates the silo based SS-27s are "first strike" weapons intended to penetrate US defensive missiles which may be deployed around strategic land based - nuclear missiles. It can be fired from mobile missile launchers.

The current US force consists solely of 450 Minuteman-III missiles, designed in 1970. They are silo based. So, the antiquated 2011 missile from Russia is to be laughed at because we have 42 year old models that are much more modern.

Pride goes before a fall.

[backwoods-engineer]

“Corporal, make no mistake about it, the Russians are still the Soviets, they aren’t our friends, and they never will be.”

I think your gunny was exactly right. The Russian FSB is essentially the same as the old KGB, and Putin is still an old commie.

We will come to blows again with Russia.

[TexConfederate1861]

I am a former Cold War submariner, but I have traveled in Russia, and have Russian friends. Believe me when I say that the last thing the Russian people want is war with us. It would be as devastating to them as it would be to us. Their pride was wounded when the Soviet Union fell, and they are just flexing their national pride.

[Georgia Girl 2]

Our Polaris and Trident systems are very effective tools of persuasion. The Russians are not going to start a war with the United States or NATO. They have no infrastructure, no money to fight a war and don’t have the depth of weapons or technology that we do. They are a third world country. They would be crushed. The Russians are not suicidal. They are very street smart and they use the tantrum, bully technique to get what they want. The Russians want to be a player in the world stage and they know that they cannot really achieve that unless Europe and the US let them in the game. Russia is not a threat to us.

[Turbo Pig]

That’s fine; when it comes down to it, though, they (as in the government, not necessarily the work a day Russian) are going to do what they feel is best for them, not for us. Same goes for neighbors and “allies” as well as those who practice “religions”, here and abroad, that are antithetical to the American way of life.

As I said, the world would be a much safer and better place if our leaders remembered that.

[American in Israel]

Russia is not a threat to us.

I disagree, hope your right. Next few years will tell.

[riverdawg]

“The current US force consists solely of 450 Minuteman-III missiles, designed in 1970. They are silo based.”

Um, you forgot about our submarine-based ballistic-missile force, which the Russians have great difficulty tracking (Hollywood notwithstanding). That's what keeps the Russian strategic defense command up at night.

[TexConfederate1861]

I am not saying we shouldn’t be vigilant, but Russia cannot afford a war. Their fleet is rusting away, because they can’t afford to upkeep it. They may posture, but they are unlikely to do anything. Now CHINA on the otherhand.....

[ak3647]

Weren't we told that “missile Defense” ie: “Star Wars” was an expensive pipe dream that could never be implemented. Yes, Tsgt, we were told that, because it was at least partially true. "Star Wars" called for a system of space-based lasers to shoot down incoming missiles. That was not technologically-feasible in 1984. It's not even technologically-feasible today in 2011. That WAS the epitome of an "expensive pipe dream" as you put it. Just because it came out of Reagan's mouth doesn't automatically mean it was a good idea. Today's anti-ballistic missile shields, like the Arrow systems developed by Israel to defend against Iranian missiles, are ground-based interceptors that use missiles (not lasers) to shoot down other missiles. "Star Wars" would have been a mutli-billion dollar boondoggle and we should all be glad that it was never pursued. The elements of the Strategic Defense Initiative that were feasible were pursued and have evolved into today's workable anti-ballistic missile systems.

[Georgia Girl 2]

Well everybody is trying to push Barry around. He’s the weakling from grade school that got his lunch money taken everyday. Wait til we get somebody like Gingrich in the Oval Office and Bolton at State. They will give Medveded a wedgie and you will hear a different tune.

I’m on a thread with a guy who appears to be from that area. He said the Natural Gas megalopoly over there is like a separate state. Half the time you can’t tell whether they are calling the shots or the Russian govt is. I have read that the country is being run by Putin and about 40 billionaire oligarchs. From what I understand if he doesn’t listen to them he might disappear. Vlad swims with the fishes. LOL!!

[redpoll]

>>>I think your gunny was exactly right. The Russian FSB is essentially the same as the old KGB, and Putin is still an old commie.

We will come to blows again with Russia.<<<

Agreed... and more important than the Communism element is the Russian element. Cultures have personalitities, just like people, and the Russians have been aggressive expansionists since Ivan the Terrible. The Communism part is just an expression of their Russian culture. And that ain’t going away any time soon, demographic bust or not.

[cunning_fish]

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Agreed... and more important than the Communism element is the Russian element. Cultures have personalitities, just like people, and the Russians have been aggressive expansionists since Ivan the Terrible. The Communism part is just an expression of their Russian culture. And that ain’t going away any time soon, demographic bust or not.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Russia is not communist by now. They know communism and certainly don’t want to live with it anymore.
Communists are minority in Russian parliament and they are dying off after their traditional voters who are mostly 80 yo cold warriors or former communist elites.

Modern Russia is an oligarchy ruled by corporations and tycoons who bought government to pursue their monopolist agenda.