Vladimir Putin
News leaked out that the U.S. might be considering building a missile defense system to be based in Europe. So in a brilliant PR maneuver, Russian president Putin responded that if such a system were built, Russia would resume targeting its many nuclear missiles on Europe. Riiight. So if we build a missile defense network, you will have no choice but to threaten us with total annihilation by missile attack. Isn�t that an even better reason to build it?
The intent of the project would be to protect against a very limited missile attack by a rogue state, so I�m not sure in what way that presents a problem for Russia. Perhaps Putin doesn�t find it fair that after all the years of secret funding his beloved KGB provided for global terrorist groups that just when they are on the verge of being able to build their own nukes, the threat would be essentially negated. Bummer, Vladi.
Or maybe it�s that Russia resents any capability which might in any way lessen its ability to launch a nuclear first strike, which has always been publicly declared to be an option for �self defense� against the West. How a surprise nuclear attack constitutes self-defense has never been explained, nor has Putin officially renounced the policy. Indeed, he has presided over the deployment of newer and better ICBM�s, even as the U.S. dismantles our own missiles. Does this make anyone else want to build a missile defense network?
Here�s an idea for Mr. Putin: if a missile defense system threatens you so much, try reworking your plans to exclude starting a nuclear war. Go back to the old land invasion plans of the pre-nuclear era. After all, the U.S. has greatly reduced its military presence in Europe so it should be a viable means to achieve World October. Start ramping up tank production quietly, and tell the media that you�re fine with missile defense. That�s the friendly Putin that Western corporations all love to invest their money with.
Back