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Russia tells Czechs: missile defence 'big mistake'
Moscow (AFP) Aug 21, 2007 The Czech Republic would be making a "big mistake" if it deployed elements of a US anti-missile defence system, Russia's top military officer said Tuesday. Russia's chief of staff, General Yury Baluyevsky, said he told the visiting deputy Czech defence minister, Martin Bartak, that Moscow would not allow the system to be deployed without some kind of counter-measure. "I called the possible decision by the Czech leadership on deploying elements of the American missile defence on its territory a 'big mistake,' because Russia will simply be forced to take measures for its security," Baluyevsky was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies. Washington wants to install a radar tracking station in the Czech Republic and missile interceptors in Poland as a shield against potential future missile attacks from smaller military powers such as Iran or North Korea. However Russia insists that the system would threaten its own security and is campaigning for the United States to drop the plan. Bartak was quoted as saying by ITAR-TASS news agency that "we haven't given our final word. This will not happen until negotiations on all aspects are concluded. There won't be a decision until at least the end of this year." Related Links Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com All about missiles at SpaceWar.com Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com
BMD Watch: Israel may get PAC-3s cheap
Washington (UPI) Aug 21, 2007 Israel's own Arrow anti-ballistic missile interceptor has performed superbly in recent tests, especially against target missiles configured to perform like the Iranian Shahid-3 intermediate range interceptor. But the Arrow is designed to perform at higher altitudes. In any war with Syria, Israel would have to defend itself against a massive initial bombardment of short-range missiles with far lower trajectories -- a type of threat that the Patriot is far better designed to handle. Russia is keeping up its pressure and threats against Poland and the Czech Republic for their determination to allow the United States to deploy ballistic missile defense facilities on their territories to guard against possible future Iranian or North Korean attacks on America and Western Europe. Russia has claimed the facilities are really intended against its strategic nuclear forces. Taiwan's Legislature in June finally lifted its block on buying Patriot PAC-3 missiles from the United States. |
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