posted on February 18, 2004 12:05:44 PM newPutin vows to build missile defense system with new strategic weapons
MOSCOW, Feb. 18 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that his country may begin building its own missile defense system and the military will be equipped with new strategic weapons.
Speaking after watching missile launches in a northern Russian cosmodrome which is a part of an ongoing massive military exercise, Putin said Russia "must work for a breakthrough in developing a new generation of defense hardware."
He pointed out that when other countries are increasing their military potential qualitatively and quantitatively, "Russia should have a military potential to counteract modern threats," according to the Itar-Tass news agency.
Russia reserves the right to update its armed forces to maintain its security, but it has no imperial or hegemonic ambitions, Putin stressed.
He did not elaborate on the new strategic weapons, only saying that they will be "capable of hitting targets deep inside continents at hypersonic speed and change the altitude and direction of their flight," the Interfax news agency reported.
***********************
"... but it has no imperial or hegemonic ambitions"
Guess he's become fully aware that Georgie does though, and he's not going to sit idly by and let it happen -- any more than China, North Korea, or Pakistan will when it's their turn to be 'democratized' ...
Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov has said his country does not rule out a pre-emptive military strike anywhere in the world if the national interest demands it.
He said that Russia faced foreign interference in its internal affairs and instability in neighbouring states as well as classic threats such as the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, international terrorism and the drugs trade
President Vladimir Putin, who met Mr Ivanov on Thursday, added that the Russian military still possessed a formidable nuclear arsenal.
posted on February 18, 2004 01:58:14 PM new
Pat, one thing I found amazing about Russia, is only 20% want a democracy. It was something that NEVER occurred to me, then I wondered how many other countries feel that way. (??)
posted on February 18, 2004 02:03:35 PM new
Krafty, it might not be such a stretch to suppose that 'democracy' translates as 'Christianity' to those who've grown up with communism (or Islam) . Just a thought...
posted on February 18, 2004 04:54:16 PM new
Well vaporizing Mecca into a several hundred square mile parking lot that glows in the dark would send a strong message about Allah's ability top protect the holy shrine.
posted on February 18, 2004 05:13:42 PM new
Taken from UPI
Putin aide: Russia losing war on terror
WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 (UPI) --
Russia is losing its war against economic crime and terrorism, a top aide to President Vladimir Putin has said.
"Peace is not yet with us. Terrorist activity is taking on the character of open defiance of the state and society," Viktor Ivanov, deputy chief of Putin's presidential staff in the Kremlin, told a conference at the Ministry of Internal
Affairs in Moscow last Thursday, according to a report in the Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspaper monitored by the BBC.
"Counterterrorism activity is not yet achieving its main purpose," Ivanov said. "We are still not succeeding in preventing terrorist attacks which have increased by 50 percent in the past year."
Russia's police are also losing their war against dirty money, Ivanov said. Around $11 billion is being illicitly converted into cash in Russia every year, he said.
"Analysis of the situation suggests that a significant proportion of this money consists of the proceeds of organized crime from the narcotics trade and illegal immigration and is very possibly financing terrorist activity," he said.
---------
Plus I read yesterday that Putin wasn't pleased that the testing of their missiles didn't go well.
------
Also that President Bush was asking China to help on the war on terror.
So....I don't think it's the US they're worried about.
Re-elect President Bush!!
posted on February 18, 2004 05:23:13 PM new
We're headed that way with our foreign policy, Gravid, because we're either going to have to dominate the world by force or get our nose out of everyone else's business real soon. And since that won't happen if Bush stays in office, we'd all better pray -- yes, pray! -- that someone else doesn't have the same designs for American real estate that you outlined in your glowing suggestion for Mecca.
posted on February 18, 2004 05:34:05 PM new
Linda, Russia can't even get its missiles to launch right now, but that's not the point. The fact that Putin felt it necessary to threaten a military build-up, specifically using the words 'imperial' and 'hegemonic', should be a signal to all that long-silenced sabers are beginning to rattle again. Could you really stand to live through another 'Cold War' era? I couldn't. And it won't be a simple USA vs. USSR kind of stand-off, either; China, India, Pakistan, North Korea are all members of The Club now, and each will want some unpalatable concessions in The Global Market to keep them satisfied.
Guess what we're gonna give China for its support? (You wanna guess? Really, I'll wait an hour and then come back and smile, cuz you'll probably guess right.)
posted on February 18, 2004 07:02:53 PM new
Well, phooey, Linda. I try to play nice with you and you run away...
So, the answer to "Guess what we're gonna give China for its support? " is: TAIWAN!
I won't bother to ask you (or tell you) what India is gonna get, what Pakistan is gonna get, what North Korea is gonna DEMAND, or what Russia is after. All the answers you'd believe are in your bible, heh...
posted on February 18, 2004 07:25:02 PM new
Shucks, Linda, you were obviously here, posting about, and I asked you for your opinion about what we'd give China to 'stay on our side'. You pointedly ignored making any sort of reply, so my little feelings got hurt. I was trying to play in the sandbox with you, not throw sand in your face.
So, fine, you wanna play nice? It only took you five minutes to race in here after my last post. What do you think it's going to cost the USA to keep the other nuclear powers at bay?
Edited to make it clear that I wanted your opinion, Linda, and, for once in your life, just because it was I asking for it, you refused to state it.
posted on February 19, 2004 07:31:08 AM new
There is very little "opinion" here. Putin is a blowhard most of whose speeches are meant for home consumption. It is quite doubtful Russia would/could start an arms race considering that the last attempt to attain superiority or parity with us left them in economic collapse and revolt.
posted on February 19, 2004 07:44:36 AM new
"There is very little "opinion" here."
Sounds like opinion to me, desquirrel. You are dismissing Putin the same way that Kim Jong is dismissed as a "blowhard". To ignore China, Pakistan, North Korea and Russia is flirting with disaster.
Unfortunately, the president of the United States agrees with you.
