Putin suggests new missile shield site (Azerbaijan)

[maddezmom]

Source: AP

HEILIGENDAMM, Germany - Russian President Vladimir Putin, bitterly opposed to a U.S. missile shield in Europe, told President Bush on Thursday that Moscow would drop its objections if the radar-based system were installed in Azerbaijan.

Putin told Bush he would not seek to retarget Russian missiles on Europe if the United States agreed to put the system in the central Asian nation of Azerbaijan, a former Soviet republic.

National Security Adviser Steve Hadley called it an "interesting proposal."

"Let's let our experts have a look at it," Hadley said.

Bush has proposed putting the radar and rockets in the Czech Republic and Poland.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070607/ap_on_re_eu/bush

[Jim__]

1. If the missiles are to defend against Iran ...

... then Azerbaijan makes a lot of sense. Assuming Azerbaijan agrees to it.

[Celefin]

2. You cannot but admire this sly fox sometimes

really.

This location would make a lot of sense in defending against the
axis of evil nations south of it...
but none if the actual aim of installing a high resolution
radar system was to monitor russian aircraft movements and missile tests.
Or, for that matter, driving a wedge between EU countries.

Looks as if Putin is calling Bush's hand.

If it weren't so scary it actually would be really entertaining.

[bemildred]

3. He is way smarter than the Bushites, whatever you may think of his politics.

Read this, and then try to imagine any of the empty suits running this country now being able to do the same:

http://mathaba.net/news/?x=555105

[frankieT]

4. Thank you for the link

He is indeed very smart and articulate.

[cqo_000]

5. It just goes to show

what can be achieved by NOT caving.

[frankieT]

6. it's also very interesting to read the whole press conference

and it's very long to see that western media reported the only questionable part, when he said that he's the only democrat, and ignored the 95% remaining very well answered questions (and they were tough questions-nothing like "softball" Bush conferences). We can have serious doubts about the freedom of the press in our democracies.

[go west young man]

7. Its aazing how articulate Putin is compared to our Commander In Chief.

There is no comparison. The Western media should be ashamed of themseves for the way they frame things.

[Celefin]

19. Not even Europe's media will report this in full

It's really rather tragic.
They all go for the 'true democrat' statement and nothing
of this very long and extremely well presented interview
with brilliant reasoning ever makes it into news.

Shame that most western politicians pale to nonexistence
compared to Putin.

Thanks for the link, great reading.

[Heidi]

8. Kick.

:kick:

[CHIMO]

9. Putin Suggests Azerbaijan for Shield

Source: The Associated Press

HEILIGENDAMM, Germany -- President Vladimir Putin told U.S. President George W. Bush on Thursday that Moscow would drop its objections to a U.S. missile shield in Europe if the radar-based system were installed in Azerbaijan.

Bush called Putin's idea an "interesting proposal -- let's let our experts have a look at it," said White House National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley. Hadley was in their hourlong meeting on the sidelines of the Group of Eight summit.

Bush has proposed putting the radar in the Czech Republic and 10 interceptor missiles in Poland to counter what he calls a threat from "rogue states" such as Iran.

After weeks of increasingly acrimonious rhetoric from Moscow about the shield, Putin's proposal to put the system in Azerbaijan -- which borders Iran -- was a surprise. Putin said the Qabala facility, built during Soviet times, was still available for Russia's use under a continuing agreement between Russia and Azerbaijan.



Read more: http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2007/06/08/001.html

[still_one]

10. bush and company will never go for it, because it is effectively giving the system to Russia

and the whole point is to maintain superiority, thus starting the arms race again

[Gman]

11. Which will tell Putin if Bush is sincere about protecting from Iran

Bush, your king is in check.

[russian33]

15. of course not

like Iran is capable of reaching Poland or Czech republic...
and then there's that little fact that the missle defense thingy doesn't even work

but glad to see Azerbaijan is continuing to sell out, apparently
all of the oil money they made is not enough...ahh, proud for my homeland, my place of birth

[unkachuck]

13. it doesn't matter....

....where you put it, when the idea is to loot the treasury with perpetual-war toys....it will be obsolete before it's finished, will never be used and probably wouldn't work anyway....

[cliss]

12. History Lesson for George

Bush, Clown who has no concept of history.

(Buddy, maybe you should pay attention this time).


The Trojan Horse
==================
1. A subversive group or device placed within enemy ranks.

2. The hollow wooden horse in which, according to legend, Greeks hid and gained entrance to Troy, later opening the gates to their army.

[Purveyor]

14. They don't even have a 'workable' missile defense system to begin with.

The systems they have tested, indeed, can sometimes shoot down 'one missile' on approach.

However, all systems against a multiple missile attack is far from worthy.

Any country deciding they are 'ready' to launch an attack will cloak their most deadly missiles(nuclear, chemical, bio) within a cluster of dummy missiles designed to take the flak from any 'missile defense system' put in place.

Well...duh!

[Screwfly]

16. The military's idea

destruction in nuclear war is wildly different from our idea of destruction. Most us would consider a city "destroyed" if just one multi-megaton nuked went off in it. The Soviet war plan for destroying Los Angeles for instance called hundreds of warheads hitting individual factories and such. At best, an ABM system would only give a country a little more time to launch a retaliatory strike in the event of nuclear war before it was completely destroyed.

[Toots]

20. Their last test about one week ago was a complete failure

Never even got off the ground so to speak. Billions of tax payers money went into Defense Contractors pockets though, and on that there was no failure..

[gulliver]

17. Putin is willing to help Bush scam the American people.

Putin knows there is no chance these systems will ever do anything worthwhile. They are just make-work for defense contractors. Everyone with half a brain knows that no rogue country that finally scrapes together the wherewithal to make a bomb is going to waste it by sticking it on a missile. They are just going to put it on a boat or have a suicide bomber drive it to its destination.

This latest offer is just Putin realizing that Bush is vulnerable. Putin will probably try to get a share of the loot Bush and his buddies are sapping from the marks, the American people. Putin drops his objections to a system that he knows is a joke; we let his people have some of the contracts to work on it -- most likely at U.S. expense under the table. So Putin just gets a share of the money Bush and his backers are looting from our country.

[On the Road]

18. Smart Move by Putin

If Bush continues with the Czechs, he obviously does not have Iran in mind. It can no longer be played both ways.

[truthisfreedom]

21. Hadley's made a strategic error by commenting in a positive way.

Methinks the smarter move would have been to reserve comment, to diminish the importance of Putin's suggestion. But we all know bushco... they'll find some hairbrained reason why we can't install it there, and irritate and offend everyone with the manner in which they announce it.