Iran is a threat, but these missiles evoke specters of Russia’s collapse that enrage virtually everyone here. Putin is serious about stopping these things, and has suspended the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe Treaty (CFE), which bizarrely America and NATO haven’t ratified (expecting Russia to abide by all conditions first), but was the cornerstone of European security. Although a large majority in both Poland and Czechia are against the anti-missile installations, the Bushmen are proceeding all ahead full, thinking they can steamroll Russia again, a big mistake, because a dollop of security from the extremists in Tehran won’t be worth much compared with reactivating the thousands of bombs and missiles of the only nation that can destroy America. This is a perilous time, where great stupidities on both sides can lead to a pointless, wasteful, and dangerous arms race; but the Democrats in Congress may cancel the whole program.
There is a nostalgia among many in the Russian military and administration for the era of Soviet nuclear sabers, when the world quaked in their boots at the actions of the superpowers and wondered if they would be fried alongside them. But Russia, and America, have many many better things to base their greatness on, than the ability to kill millions of people in a flash.
Michael Hammerschlag, currently in Moscow, has written on the nuclear standoff for decades. His commentaries + articles have appeared in Seattle Times, Providence Journal, Honolulu Advertiser, Columbia Journalism Review, Media Channel, Capital Times; and Moscow News, Tribune, Guardian, Times, and We/Mui. His website is http://Hammernews.com
* They have been of missiles fired directly over relatively close ships, in boost phase, before they reached full speed, and interceptors fired almost simultaneously to be able to reach the attacking missile over the huge distances involved. Having homing beacons on the attacking missile is like a soldier going into battle with a boom box and a strobe light- it wouldn’t happen.
MGU= Moscow State University, a huge Stalin wedding cake building in southern Moscow.
WASH POST 5-2-7 “system.. has not proved itself in testing. Only one successful test of the interceptor has been conducted since 2002, and that was under controlled conditions that wouldn't be present in a real attack.”
NUCLEAR THREAT Articles
http://tomhammers.tripod.com/mhmenu.htm#nkorea
ROBERT MCNAMARA (Realplayer Audio) http://hammernews.com/mcnamara.ram Brown U symposium on Cuban Missile Crisis- Watson Institute 10/23/2002-
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