U.S. Ballistic missiles in E. Europe threaten Russia - chief of staff

[NNN0LHI]

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20060524/48570591.html

MOSCOW, May 24 (RIA Novosti) - The deployment of ballistic missiles in eastern Europe poses a threat to Russia, the chief of the country's General Staff said Wednesday.

General Yury Baluyevsky said U.S. plans to deploy ballistic missiles in eastern Europe, possibly in Poland and Romania, as part of its missile shield presented a certain danger to Russia.

"The very fact of the deployment of the first-line missile defenses in this region is unequivocally intended to neutralize Russia's strategic potential," he said.

Baluyevsky said Russia did not need a new round of the arms race, adding that President Vladimir Putin had also addressed this issue in his May 10 state of the nation address.

"In the next five years, we must significantly increase the procurement of modern aircraft, submarines and strategic missiles for the Armed Forces," Putin said.

[Deja Q]

1. No doubt the US will be more than happy to sell Putin what he wants.

We've sold to countries like Iran, Iraq...

China for all we know and we allowed our corporations to do so... we allowed Loral company to sell missile guidance systems to China when Reagan was president... (I think it was 'Loral'... started with an L)

[Toots]

2. Not sure we will sell them what they want but will certainly shell out big

bucks to our Military Industrial Complex to counter the Russian's big build up which was caused by our build up. The Big Winner is GOP Campaign Contributors who make implements of Death. War Profiteering has become the American Dream..

[sasha031]

3. this sounds to me like the good ole days

of the Cold War...it sounds to me that * doesn't look into Putin's soul anymore.

it makes life so exciting, living in time of nuclear proliferation:nuke:

looks to me the shrub won't be doing lunch with Putin in the near future.

this all sucks, why the US has to make an enemy.

[ramapo]

4. Can't blame them...

Think about the uproar if Russia had missiles in Cuba....

[NNN0LHI]

5. I think that may be where we are headed n/t