1. But they are trying to develop some, something that their recent missile test showsOriginally Posted by Ramil
2. What makes you say that? That's a pure guess from anybody except for those who have the intelligence. And with a little help from the right people, they could have the capability in the very near future.
3. Why does the world's largest producer of natural gas suddenly want nuclear technology? Years turn fast into days and minutes. The eventual base in Poland won't be built in a day either. Why wait until the threat is imminent?
4. A) Israel already has the patriot missiles capable of intercepting low-flying targets B) From a pure risk mitigation scenario, I don't think USA is likely to accept the risk of a nuclear strike on their country just because Israel is more likely to be hit first.
5. Very true. And no country is in the trajectory path, analogous to Poland. I am sure the US Navy has deployed similar missiles in the Pacific ocean.
1. As I tried to explain to Оля, for the technology to work, you need to be at the right location near the trajectory of the ballistic missile. Apart from Russian Kamchatka, there are no foreign territories to place them in. But I am sure the US Navy has thought about that threat and taken the appropriate measures. Implying otherwise is simply ludicrous.Originally Posted by Ramil
2. A) This whole deal is done outside of NATO. NATO has not sanctioned this American plan.
B) Both Poland and the Czech Republic are NATO members
C) Turkey isn't in an as advantageous location as Poland. Add to the fray a Muslim country with strong resentment to America... you get the picture.
3. That's a good point, and Putin did offer it to Bush. According to the American officials, it is too close to Iran to serve as a mid-course radar, which is the operation range of the ABM. Add to the mix that the American military would have to rely on Russia for their homeland security, then you can understand why they are a little hesitant. Especially when the reliability of Russian support (and gas) has been, in the West's eyes, questionable.
Again, this isn't a NATO installation. Besides, NATO already has powerful radars in Latvia and Estonia looking deep into Russian territory. The world is an evolving place, and what worked for 60 years might not be suitable for threats of the future. Look at it from America's standpoint. If this threat from Iran is real (and that is debatable), they need to do something to prevent it from happening. This is exactly what they are doing. Russia has the right to be suspicious and the right to express their concerns, but I think they are greatly exaggerating.Originally Posted by Ramil
You seem to be an expert on Iranian technology capabilities, quite excellent! And bombing Iran is an option that Israel is actively considering. I don't think America has the willpower or the capability to start another war. The forces are stretched too thin and some generals have even publicly said that would be a great mistake. Furthermore, the American people are fed up with the Iraq war, and you'll see that reflected in the presidential election...Originally Posted by Ramil