Experts Question Putin Missile Defense Proposal

Experts said there are a number of reasons why U.S. policy-makers are likely to reject Russian President Vladimir Putin’s proposal for deployment of missile defenses in Europe, United Press International reported yesterday (see GSN, June 18).

Putin has been angered by the Bush administration’s intention to place missile interceptors and a radar base in nearby Poland and the Czech Republic.  Earlier this month, he suggested instead that Washington use an existing radar leased by Russia in Azerbaijan and that interceptors could be placed in Iraq, Turkey or on U.S. Aegis-class ships.

Speaking anonymously, U.S. military experts noted several drawbacks to this plan:

While Standard Missile 3 interceptors can be placed on ships, they are not intended for use in bringing down fast-moving ICBMs.  U.S. Ground-based Midcourse Defense interceptors have that capability, but are housed in silos.

Radars in Azerbaijan — as opposed to the Czech Republic — would not provide the necessary information to allow interceptors to stop potential Iranian missiles fired at the United States, the experts said.  Interceptors deployed at sea or on land in the Mediterranean region would also not be in good position to bring down Iranian missiles.

Setting up the necessary communications equipment with Russia would also be difficult, the experts said.  They also argued that the planned U.S. installations would pose no threat to Russian strategic security, given the size of Russia’s arsenal and the small number of location of the planned interceptors in Poland, UPI reported.

“We must clearly understand that this proposal cannot, and does not offer any protection against Iranian missiles targeted at the United States, United Kingdom and portions of Northern Europe,” said Riki Ellison, president of the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance (Martin Sieff, United Press International, June 18).

Back to top
About Newswire  |  Contact National Journal  |  Re-Use Guidelines © Copyright 2008 by National Journal Group, Inc. The material in this section is produced independently for NTI by National Journal Group, Inc. Any reproduction or retransmission, in whole or in part, is a violation of federal law and is strictly prohibited without the consent of the National Journal Group, Inc. All rights reserved.