Tell me if this sounds familiar... The U.S. military plans a technologically advanced missile defense shield, Moscow signals its disapproval and develops new weapons that it promises can overcome any current or future defenses. Diplomats from both countries argue over influence and tactics in eastern Europe. No, it's not 1983, this is all from recent news reports. And, as President Bush prepares to meet Russian President Putin in July, some wonder if all this tough talk won't revive the old rivalries. There are some smart folks who study these things, and we'll ask them about the prospects of a new cold war. Let us know what questions you have.
Blog of the Nation
Try living where the sun never sets in the summer. We do tend to feel very sleep deprived by the months of July and August. It is so glorious, it seems almost a sin to be inside. I guess we make up for it in the dark winters.
I would like to inform you that your male guest(sorry do nto rememebr name) made a mistake.
He referd to Serbia as a Russiaa cold war allie, and that is not correct.
Serbia was part of non-allied;non-Warsaw pact Tito's Yugoslavia.
Serbia was the least comunist part of the former Yugoslavia.
Regarding Serbian province of Kosovo, US is the one aprouching this problem the wrong way in a double standard manner.
During the desoliving of Yogoslavia USA policy was against creation of new states exept for the former Yu republics.
Kosovo was never an independent state and always part of Serbia, unless occupied by the Ottomans and Nazi's.
I do not support what was happening within Russia, but can not accept USA wrong desition to support independece of Kosovo!
P.S. Czech Republic an poland are Central and not East Europe!
I guess my only real question is: How many more days until we get a president that might prove capable of learning from experience?
The fundamental question here should be is - why exactly should Russia trust reassurances of US Government on anything? The current administration was all but dammed by US and West European media for lying about a lot of things connected to War on Terror in general and Iraq conflict in particular. It is a bit hypocritical on the part of the Western Media (and public for that matter) to make big round eyes and ask "why don they believe us?" while they themselves lately (and with a good reason) treat every official communique ,coming out of the White House, with chunk of skepticism size of Texas. Why should Russian government and Russian people behave differently? Besides, it appears that NATO already deceived them at least ones, when upon the fall of Berlin wall Gorbachev was reassured that NATO will not expand beyond the borders it had back then. Right now it sanding right at the Russian doorsteps, and the Russians are asking "at whom this purely military alliance is aimed? Is there some threat in Europe they should be aware of? They never got a clear cut answer - only bunch of diplomatic mambo-jumbo. This probably needs some clarification. However, the countries that have joined NATO recently are quite clear that they did so in order to get protection from Russia. So, if a whole bunch of NATO members, consider Russia to be a hostile power, capable of military aggression - it is not very realistic to expect Russia to treat NATO as some friendly organization that is ever so concerned with well being of Russian people.
In regards to Missile Defense - it is true that 10 interceptors pose no threat to Russian Nuclear deterrent - but who said that 10 is the number it is going to stop at? It will be too late to scream "foul" if their numbers would run in thousands - would not it?
In addition to that the location of interceptors allows them to target Russian Space Pads, and, considering the current level of reliability of the system, Russians have all the reason to be nervous. Who is to say that US system would not confuse some Russian space freighter with something flying out of N.Korea? Not so long ago considerably more tried and tested US radar managed to confuse Iranian Airbus for F-14 - with deadly consequences for the passengers of that plane.
The proposed radar in Czech Republic would be able to scan Russian airspace all the way up to Ural Mountains. How would US react if Russia would put couple of Radars such this - say one in Cuba and one in Mexico for instance?
In regards to Kosovo: can some explain to me why should it be treaded differently from renegade Georgian provinces or Transdnestria? Note "because we said so" is not an acceptable answer. The only differences so far appears to be, that Serbia got bombed by NATO and Georgia and Moldova did not - if this is the criteria then it is a bizarre one.
This article goes a long way to explain Russian attitude towards NATO:
http://www.nationalinterest.org/Article.aspx?id=14036
Maybe NPR should consider inviting mr.Pushkov for a change.
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