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| Topol 12-M mobile ICBM |
The Cold War has for all practical purposes resumed after only a two decade hiatus. The latest tit for tat between East and West is Russia's
announcement that it is modernizing its intercontinental missile force with 40 new advanced weapons
[photo]. These are not additions but substitutions; nevertheless NATO is characterizing the move as "
dangerous". Of course NATO is not referring to its
provocative decision to store heavy conventional weapons in former Warsaw Pact nations bordering Russia as anything but a deterent. The decision represents a significant change in US military policy since the Cold War allegedly ended with the internal collapse of the Soviet Union. So it is definitely back to the future for the Pentagon in Europe. No decision has been made yet on whether to station troops in the Baltic states. The Poles, who live in perpetual fear of invasion given their history, are especially anxious to host a NATO presence. Their defense minister wants a permanent US base on Polish territory.
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| Iskander short range missle |
Interfax quoted a Russian defense official saying that Russia would be forced to retaliate against the latest NATO move by building up its forces on the western border. It could even ship missles to the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad between Poland and Lithuania.
[photo] General Uri Yakubov said Russia's "hands are completely free to organize retaliatory steps" against what he called "the most aggressive step by the Pentagon and NATO since the Cold War." Of major concern to Russian military planners is the NATO missle defense shield erected during the Current Occupant's administration. This latest increase in tensions comes just days after President Vladimir Putin told western media
the West has nothing to fear from Russia. President Putin went to Italy for meetings with its leaders and the Pope two days after the G-7 group snubbed Russia for its support of separatists in Ukraine.
