Russia insists that the Missile De fence Shield (MDS) is directed at them and is not exclusively for "rogue nation" defense. Russia also despises the deployment of U.S. Forces to operate the Patriot missile system in Poland. Based upon their conclusions that the MDS is directed toward them, they have threatened military action.
The MDS would not be done until 2012 and the deployment of the Patriot Missile System would not be fully deployed until 2012 as well. No U.S. Military are deployed at this time to Poland to build or operate this system.
The system is defensive. Anyone who watched the 1st Gulf War knows that the Patriot is defensive to shoot down missiles directed at the area it protects. It has no offensive capabilities. The Missile Defense System is the same.
The bottom line is that, even though, the MDS and the PMS are defensive against rogue nations, Russia knows that it will also protect against a Russian first strike nuclear war. The MDS could not shoot down every missile launched from Russia, but it would be able to shoot down some of them. Therefore absolute mutual destruction is not assured and that worries the Russians.
Russian president issues new warning over American missile shield
Medvedev says that the deployment of an anti-missile system close to Russian borders "will of course create additional tensions."
He said his country "will have to react somehow" adding it could be "in a military way."Russian officials have already warned of a military response to the U.S. plans, but the statement by the Russian leader was likely to further aggravate already tense relations with the West.
Tensions have ratcheted up between Russia and the West since its Aug. 8 invasion of Georgia. The invasion provided the impetus for the Aug. 20 conclusion of an agreement between Poland and the United States allowing the deployment of Patriot missiles on Polish soil by 2012.
The Russian Responce-Ballistic missile defence and European security
(Margot Light for RIA Novosti) - The agreement concluded between the United States and Poland on August 20th on the deployment of 10 interceptor missiles, part of America's planned Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) system, was an inadvertent (and possibly unanticipated) result of the Russian-Georgian conflict.
In July the Czech government agreed to station a radar missile tracking base - the other European element of the planned BMD system - 90 km from Prague.
Ever since President Bush revived the plans to develop and deploy BMD, the U.S. administration has repeatedly assured the Russian government that the system is directed not against Russia, but against any ballistic missiles that it fears could be launched by Iran or North Korea.
The Russian response has been consistent - the system is directed against Russia and it undermines Russia's security. No-one pretends that the Patriot missiles or the stationing of American troops in Poland are directed at any country other than Russia. And the reason why Poland feels that it needs Patriot missiles and American forces is Russia's threat that Poland is ‘making itself a target'.
