Saturday, August 16, 2008

Arms Race Update - Welcome to the Bad Old Days


Too young to remember the Cold War? Don't worry, it may be back before you know it.

The Times reports that Russia is considering re-arming its Baltic fleet of subs, cruisers and bombers with nuclear weapons.

"Under the Russian plans, nuclear warheads could be supplied to submarines, cruisers and fighter bombers of the Baltic fleet based in Kaliningrad, a Russian enclave between the European Union countries of Poland and Lithuania.
A senior military source in Moscow said the fleet had suffered from underfunding since the collapse of communism. “That will change now,” said the source.
“In view of America’s determination to set up a missile defence shield in Europe, the military is reviewing all its plans to give Washington an adequate response."

The Russian military also said it would ignore attempts to restrict the movement of its Black Sea fleet in and out of Sebastopol, in Ukraine. The Crimean port was emerging as a potential flashpoint in Russia’s efforts to prevent former Soviet countries on its borders from joining Nato.

This weekend Ukraine further angered Russian officials by offering to create a joint missile defence network with western countries.


The Russians have already indicated that they may point nuclear missiles at western Europe from bases in Kaliningrad and Belarus. They are also said to be thinking of reviving a military presence in Cuba. "

The Americans are predictably outraged even though the Bush regime itself is pressing ahead with development of a new generation of nuclear weapons for America's military. Once again it's "do as I say, not as I do" smothered in a layer of fetid hypocrisy.

Added to the other known arms races already well underway - China and India for example - this is just the sort of thing we can expect when rational diplomacy is trumped by red-meat ideology. We've gone down this road before. Then we were called back from the edge by sensible leaders. Today we've got Putin and the prospect of McCain. Oh dear.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Can you blame them, missiles on their borders, why??? and you think mccain would be bad, but not as bad as wimpy hussein would be, russians are not afraid of wind bags...

Anonymous said...

to anyone out there that supports bush and the americans at bitching without cause at Russia I have one word for you.....IRAQ.
you are all stupid for following bush and rice, after what they did,,, u are sheeps,,, go and follow the rest of us will watch...

Anonymous said...

Anon(s?): Did you even read this post?

I think you may be the same person & it appears you are incapable of comprehending what was written.

Anonymous said...

Hmm Russia is trying to regain it's standing as a super power...one thats willing to act now that the U.S has effectivley castrated itself over the last two decades...

They want our North correct? the future is going to be a strange one with cold war 2.0 kicking up.

Anonymous said...

In 1962 the United States was willing to risk WW3 rather than allow Russian missles into Cuba. So Russians are supposed to ignore American missiles in Poland?

Anonymous said...

penlan, yes I read this post it reflects word for word what bush and rice have been saying,,thats not a blog thats a paste...

The Mound of Sound said...

Anon 10:34PM, you're a bit off kilter. This post "reflects" what Bush and Rice have been saying? And just what would that be? At least try to ground your criticisms in some measure of reality.