Russia's Answer to Star Wars:  Satan

by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright December 21, 2011
All Rights Reserved.                                         

                When President Barack Obama gave the green light to Star Wars missile defense system in Eastern Europe Nov. 23, Russian President Dmitri Medvedev threatened to disable the radar sites and terminate further arms control agreements.  “I have set the task to the armed forces to develop measures for disabling missile-defense data and control systems,” said Medvedev, threatening to cancel the New Start treaty.  “Given the intrinsic link between strategic offensive and defensive arms, conditions for our withdrawal from the New Start treaty could also arise.”  White House officials must weigh carefully the fallout of former President George W. Bush’s 2007 agreement with Boeing Space Systems to install a European Based Interceptors in Poland and the Czech Republic.  While Barack revised Bush’s plan Sept. 15, 2009, Medvedev finds the modified plan equally unacceptable.

            Responding to U.S. plans for Star Wars missile defense, Russia announced its new “Satan” interceptor missile.  Testing its new short-range interceptor missile, the Russian military announced its own missile defense system.  Russian Defense Ministry announced plans for a new 100-ton ballistic missile slated for release in 2015, in response to U.S. missile defense.  Medvedev, whose 4-year term expires in March 2012, hands the baton back to former Russian president and now Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.  Whatever street protests exist about Putin’s expected third term, he’s a lock for Russia’s next president.  “In connection with plans of the United States to develop the air defense in Europe, in close vicinity to Russia’s borders, and because of the unwillingness of the U.S. side to provide any guarantees, the Russian Federation continues to take measures to preserve parity in the field,” Pravda reported.

            Bush’s rationale for installing missile defense in Eastern Europe involved growing threats posed by Iran’s long-range missile capability.  Reports, largely from Iran’s own IRNA government new agency of a Shahab-6 intercontinental ballistic missile with a range of 3,000-5,000 kilometers are unconfirmed, probably pernicious propaganda.  Israeli intelligence has helped fuel speculation about long-range missile capability, prompting warnings of Iran’s uranium enrichment program getting dangerously close to weapons grade capability.  Russia defense officials don’t buy the American argument for European land-based missile defense.  ”Russia does not stand against the U.S. missile defense system,” said Russian Minister of missile troops Serge Karakaev.  Russian defense officials think the U.S. Star Wars system is not against Iran but against Russia.

            However one demonizes Iran, there’s no proof of Iran’s intercontinental ballistic missile capability or a nuclear weapons program.  Growing concerns from Israel and the U.S. have left GOP presidential frontrunners former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Texas Gov. Rick Perry all warning of war with Iran.  Recent developments with Iran hacking into the GPS system of U.S. Predator Drone spy planes raise disturbing questions about U.S. defense capability.  If Iran can intercept Predator Drones so easily, they’re capable to neutralizing military advantages around the Persian Gulf.  With the U.S. finally exiting Iraq after a bloody nine-year conflict, starting a new war in Iran threatens to destabilize the region, upend world oil markets and potentially send the global economy into recession.  Jumping into another war would prove disastrous to the U.S. economy.

            With the rhetoric flying on both sides of the Atlantic, both the U.S. and Russia are in the middle of new presidential elections.  Medvedev talks a good game just like GOP presidential hopefuls, whose anti-Kremilin rhetoric plays well to the base.  Neither side can afford to lose sight of the political theatre whipping up anti-Russian and anti-U.S. rhetoric.  “Putin has consolidated his power by pursuing campaigns against nefarious foes—Chechen extremists, Russian oligarchs, and now the West,” said Anya Schmemann, a Russian expert at Washington’s Council on Foreign Relations.  With the global economy so unstable, both Russia and the U.S. need to play down the incendiary rhetoric.  Recent tweets by U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) antagonizing Putin show how irresponsible things get when the state of U.S.-Russian relations have sunk to new Cold War lows.

            U.S. and Russian diplomats need to pull back the heated rhetoric and find common ground to deal with rogue nations like Iran and North Korea.  Antagonizing each other makes matters worse if either side needs to deal with real global emergencies.  “Russia’s military establishment is concerned about losing parity with the United States on a number of deployed strategic nuclear warheads that it maintains,” said Ploughshare Fund’s Joel Rubin.  Obama’s new revised Star Wars plan in Europe still threatens Russia by potentially neutralizing its defensive missile capability.  Election year aside, Obama must work feverishly to improve bilateral relations with Russia.  Antagonizing the next Russian president is no way to encourage Russia to support the U.S. in dealing with emerging global threats.  If the U.S. wants Russian cooperation, it needs to show more sensitivity and tone down the rhetoric.

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news.  He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com.and author of Dodging the Bullet and Operation Charisma.

©1999-2005 Discobolos Consulting Services, Inc.
(310) 204-8300
All Rights Reserved.