NATO eyes missile shield progress with Russia after U.S. move towards North Korea:

 *NATO eyes missile shield progress with Russia after U.S. move: Russia has said U.S. missile shield plans could erode its nuclear deterrent. It has softened criticism since Washington announced on March 16 that it would station 14 missile interceptors in Alaska in response to North Korean nuclear threats and at the same time forgo a new type of interceptor that would have been deployed in Europe.

Moscow has long been at odds with the West over anti-missile defenses it has begun to establish in Europe, which both the United States and NATO say are aimed at preventing any attack from Iran and pose no threat to old Cold War foe Russia. "The change in the U.S. plans ... just simply makes the situation much less ambiguous," Vershbow told Reuters. "There is now no reason for concern that the system going into Europe will have any effect whatever on Russia's strategic deterrent.

One Year Ago: Part of NATO missile defense goes live : The station is located in the city of Malatya, about 400 miles southeast of the capital Ankara, and is manned by both Turkish and U.S. personnel, the spokesman said. Turkey is one of five countries that have agreed to deploy parts of the U.S.-designed defense system. Portugal, Poland, Romania and Spain have also agreed to participate. NATO asked Russia to participate in the system but negotiations have been deadlocked over Russia's demand for a legally binding treaty guaranteeing the shield would not be used as a deterrent to Moscow's own systems. 

I remember a year back when Iran said as soon as the site in Turkey was on line it would be a valid target for Iran. I also caught that Russia and the United States are pretty close to an agreement on being partners on the MDS. The only problem now is getting the US to put on paper that Russia is not a target. That should not be a problem one way or the other. Sign the damn paper.

Iran has been upgrading its missile systems and has showed off its Sejil 2 two stage solid fuel missile capable of reaching targets 1,200 miles away. They had that ability with the Shahab 3 but are now prepared to produce these en masse. They now have capable short and medium range capabilities but no way to deliver nuclear warheads. Supposedly these are not to be used offensively but only to prove Iran can defend herself. Once again you have to believe the weapons are to prove they are a threat offensively.

Iran was already a threat to her immediate neighbors with a 600 mile range now they have paraded the ability to produce missiles capable of reaching parts of Europe and certainly most of the middle east. Remember Bush's axis of evil? He falsely inclided Iraq to justify his illegal attack. Now North Korea and Iran the other two in the so called axis are covered by the MDS and none too soon by 14 missile interceptors in Alaska. Bush's facade of an MDS is gone!

President Obama based his decision to scrap Bush's worthless MDS Boondoggle as it was only designed to provoke Russia and was never even tested under realistic conditions despite its 4 Billion dollar cost. As you know after much expert advice and thought he scrapped it for the much tested land and water based mobile Aegis system.

This great decision which Europe and Russia welcome was based on a reassessment of the developing and changing threat coming from Iran! Defending Europe because of Iran  is the priority, Decisions based on intelligent reasoning what a novel idea!

The water based mobile Aegis system can even be moved to the Gulf "you know it is already there" and other area's of concern that may and will crop up to counter immediate short and medium range missile threats. 

Meanwhile by 2017 (now I hear 2015) when Iran is expected to have long range capabilities the Aegis is also scheduled to have long range and ICBM defense capabilities. If Russia and NATO join the effort as proposed I am confident we will be prepared for any future threats!

To top it all off a Defense Department report to Congress concludes that Iran could develop a missile capable of striking the United States by 2015. Besides the mobile aegis the U.S. already had 25 long-range interceptor missiles based in Alaska and California, as part of a system designed to defend the nation against an attack from North Korea or Iran. 

Now they have added 14 more supposedly for North Korea but you know they add another blanket to every threat.Eight of 14 tests of the interceptors have been successful, that gives me pause but I feel we are smart enough to have overkill as far as Iran, North Korea, or any other threat goes. Whatever it takes get on with the rest of the system.


James Joiner
Gardner, Ma
http://anaverageamericanpatriot.blogspot.com