…In Europe! As we dust off the Russia analysts from various think-tank basements, we seem to be seeing a replay of many Cold War Soviet vs US conflicts. First up: STAR WARS. From the Economist:
THE east Europeans have little reason to fear a strike from Iran. So why are they eagerly signing up to America’s system to intercept Iranian missiles? Because they are scared of Russia. Within days of Russia’s invasion of Georgia, Poland had agreed to host ten American interceptors. Ukraine offered to link up its early-warning radars and contribute to surveillance in space. The Czech Republic had already agreed to host the missile-tracking radar.
What’s next? Russia putting mid-range missiles in Cuba or Venezuela? Russian support of insurgencies in Africa? What about Iran? Hold on as we travel back to the future…
Good question at the end. We are going to spend a fortune in BMD one-ups-man-ship with Russia, so we can put a half dozen interceptors in Poland.
Dumbest idea ever sold. Build a radar if necessary, but put BMD at sea and everyone is happy.
Deep down I know you’re right, Galrahn. But I’ve gotta come clean: I’m almost happy to see Cold War style brinksmanship return.
I miss having a worthy adversary. These terrorists suck ass.
I’m not, its all about eye on the ball. We have invested a lot in Iraq and are on the verge of great things, the last thing we need is to be distracted by Georgia.
They have the slickest PR campaign I’ve ever seen. Imagine a country that takes advantage of our taxpayer money to build a military we are told is for defense and promoting peace, but instead they use to start a war with Russia…
Then fall flat and get embarrassed, only to spin the media hard to appeal to our national moral values and exploit us for sympathy.
Russia is the bad guy, Georgia is the bad guy. We need to avoid helping bad guys. People claiming Georgia is the good guy in this dispute are willingly ignoring the facts. Sometimes there is no good guy.
Putting the interceptors in Poland and the Czech Republic gives us, in their eyes at least, something to defend.
It ties the United States more tightly into their defense, if ever needed.
Job security for me! ( Plus a possible chance to work in Europe!)
I can live with a new cold war if it gives me a job overseas.
I’m in favor of putting a GBI site in Singapore, to defend against the Chinese threat-with me working there!