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Europe
Russia prepares first-strike against US Missile shield
2011-11-23

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev ordered the military to prepare to "destroy" the command capability of the planned U.S. missile-defense system in Europe.
In other words, first strike capability versus command and control facilities - meaning missiles, likely theater nukes.
Russia may also station strike missiles on its southern and western flanks, including Iskander rockets in the Kaliningrad exclave between Poland and Lithuania
why does this Soviet artifact still exist?
both members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the European Union, Medvedev said on state television today.
Depending on spineless Obama to not threaten to return in kind and put the equivalent of Pershing missiles there in response. Betting on a toothless and gutless response from NATO is probably a safe bet.
Posted by:OldSpook

#8  The threat of a Soviet first strike against Europe was a major threat to Europe until Reagan's Pershing missile installation rendered the first strike a moot point - the western USSR would have been annihilated within minutes of a Soviet hit on western Europe.
So is western Europe more concerned about an Iranian / jihadi missile strike than a strike from zombie Communists?
Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418   2011-11-23 18:21  

#7  Walter Modem:Yes! Please!
Posted by: Aussie Mike   2011-11-23 14:35  

#6  The US could score points in this one by pointing out that these anti-missiles are to defend Europe against an aggressive missile attack by Iran, so does Russia now have a mutual defense pact with Iran?
Posted by: Anonymoose   2011-11-23 12:19  

#5  The Bear still has nuclear weapons. Poland and Lithuania don't.
Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain   2011-11-23 11:39  

#4  I knew its history - just wondering why Poland and Lithuania didn't simply split the territory between themselves while the bear was disintegrating.
Posted by: OldSpook   2011-11-23 11:32  

#3  ..why does this Soviet artifact still exist?

1. It was East Prussia*.
2. It has effectively been ethnically cleansed.

* Some historians view the 19th Century 'German Unification' more as the triumph of Prussian expansion begun under Fredrick the Great via militarism. Given two world wars, no one really has been too concerned about resurrecting the thing or issues about 'right of return'.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2011-11-23 11:24  

#2  Hey! As a space nut... if we lift the testban treaty then... WE COULD DO the original PROJECT ORION!

Posted by: Water Modem   2011-11-23 11:21  

#1  Lift the test ban and start building a new generation of nukes and delivery systems. If they want a new cold war they can have one.
Posted by: Iblis   2011-11-23 11:06  

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