Putin warns arms race not over yet

The Washington Times ^ | May 11, 2006 | Michael Mainville

[neverdem]

MOSCOW -- President Vladimir Putin warned yesterday that the U.S.-Russian arms race is not over and called for a strengthening of his nation's nuclear and conventional forces so Moscow can better resist foreign pressure.

    The remarks, in his seventh state of the nation address since taking power in 2000, follow increasingly sharp criticism of Russia's democratic and foreign policy directions from the United States, including a harsh rebuke by Vice President Dick Cheney last week in Lithuania.

    "It is premature to speak of the end of the arms race," said Mr. Putin, who pointed out in the nationally televised address that U.S. defense spending is 25 times higher than Russia's and said his country needs to catch up.

    "Their house is their fortress? Well done," he said. "But it means that we must build our house strongly, reliably, because we see what is going on in the world.

    "We must always be ready to counter any attempts to pressure Russia in order to strengthen positions at our expense," he continued. "The stronger our military is, the less temptation there will be to exert such pressure on us."

    Mr. Putin said Russia's military would work to strengthen both its nuclear deterrent and its conventional forces but without repeating "the mistakes of the Soviet Union and of the Cold War" by draining the country's resources.

    Many analysts attribute the collapse of communism in Russia to the Kremlin's inability to keep up with U.S. arms spending during the Reagan administration, particularly its space-based anti-missile initiative known familiarly as "Star Wars."

    Skyrocketing world energy prices have provided oil-rich Russia with windfall surpluses that could be used to fund at least a modest defense buildup. Russian revenues totaled $41.8 billion compared with expenditures of $25.5 billion in the...

[neverdem]

IMHO, this bellowing is basically Russki paranoia. An increase in Russian military power also will give the Chicoms second thoughts about confronting their erstwhile ally in Siberia.

Chinese reoccupying Russia(and mutual hatred)

[Elpasser]

The smaller the dog, the shriller the bark.

[Thunder90]

I HIGHLY doubt that the recent arms buildup is directed at Russia' allies to the southeast (China). Rather, it is directed at the United States.

[Thunder90]

Ping!!!

[coconutt2000]

Makes you wonder if Putin is making a run for President For Life.

Standard Operating Procedure for dictators is to point at American aggression, power, wealth, and other policies as a reason for a strong, central government in a time of crisis.

(Of course... the crisis is usually locally manufactured.)

[L98Fiero]

"Putin warns arms race not over yet"

That's because we are still waiting for Russia to drag her tired butt accross the finish line in dead last place.

[sgtbono2002]

They've gotten a few bucks ahead now. What with selling arms and nuclear advice to Iran, they figure they can blow some on sustaining the old Russian ego.

[marron]

An unequal comparison to the US may be a little humiliating, which may give some impetus to rebuild. But the real threat is from China, and from his own muslim separatists.

These two threats are real, and he has to prepare for them or else.

[oxcart]

Wow, news like this is sending my Vanguard precious metals fund through the roof.

[GSlob]

Don't forget the waste and corruption coefficient. Out of the resources allocated, part will disappear without a trace, another part will be stolen, and still the third part will be wasted ["The Gaul is divided in three parts..."]. He'd do much better by allocating the bulk of resources to such basics as military housing - for then within a couple of years he could sort it out, and that alone would do a lot towards retaining personnel.

[kinoxi]

why do i get a visual of the cowardly lion in the wizard of saying "put em up, put em up..."

[kinoxi]

should be an oz in there

[Thunder90]

Armies based on Communist strategy don't care about how their soldiers are treated. This can be seen in Russia, China, and Cuba.

[EricT.]

How's he gonna pay for it?

[EricT.]

Try reading ALL of the article dummkopf!

[rfreedom4u]

I'll bet if we cut off aid to Russia their arms program will suffer a setback.

[Thunder90]

We give over 5 billion dollars to Russia on an annual basis.

[kinoxi]

how about we cut off all foreign aid for say, six months, and send the US taxpayers that supply it a nice 'thank you' check. yeah, i know, pipe dream

[MaineVoter2002]

Well he's wrong. The US stopped long ago

[Conservative Firster]

Russia launches production of new military helicopter

MOSCOW, March 9 (RIA Novosti) - First-stage flight testing of next-generation attack helicopters for the Russian Air Force has been completed and the choppers will soon be in service, an official said Thursday.

Head of the Air Force press service Alexander Drobyshevsky said that the Mi-28N Night Hunter had completed its first test flights, and the Rostov Helicopter Plant (Rosvertol) will launch full-scale production in the immediate future.

The company will initially produce 20 Mi-28Ns under a three-year contract with the Air Force, the official said.

According to Drobyshevsky, a serial model of the Mi-28N Night Hunter conducted its first flight in late December and has made 140 flights since then.

The helicopter is primarily designed to locate and destroy enemy armored vehicles, personnel, small surface ships, low-speed air targets and fortifications and to lay mine fields day or night in adverse weather conditions.

High reliability and powerful weaponry make the chopper competitive on global aircraft markets, the Rosvertol press service said. Military experts said helicopter's effectiveness was four to five times higher than of any existing helicopters of its type.