jamieooh
05-03-2012, 08:36 PM
Russia threatens missile shield strike
3 May 2012 | By Geoff Meade
http://www.bfbs.com/news/sites/ssvc.com.bfbs.news/files/images/internal_articles/_fnweb_pic_nato_missile_0.jpg
The Russian Chief of the General Staff has threatened a pre-emptive military strike against NATO nations if the alliance goes ahead with plans to site a controversial missile defence system in Eastern Europe.
The country’s president warned last year that the Kremlin would retaliate with force if there was no agreement. Now their top military officer has warned that they might attack first.
General Nikolai Makarov made his threat at a Russia-NATO conference in Moscow, the last major meeting before NATO’s summit in Chicago later this month.
In a prepared speech he said: “A decision to use destructive force pre-emptively will be taken if the situation worsens.”
In what seems a coordinated strategy to put pressure on the White House, at the same meeting, the Defence Minister cautioned that talks with Washington were close to a dead end.
The West says the missile system is needed to shoot down Iranian rockets. Russia fears it would be powerful enough eventually to undermine their nuclear deterrent.
Its control centre at Ramstein in Germany, recently passed its initial operating tests, linking with Aegis radar equipped warships.
NATO‘s Secretary General, speaking after pre-summit talks in Downing Street, insisted the system was not directed against Russia.
http://www.bfbs.com/news/top-story/russia-threatens-missile-shield-strike-57009.html
3 May 2012 | By Geoff Meade
http://www.bfbs.com/news/sites/ssvc.com.bfbs.news/files/images/internal_articles/_fnweb_pic_nato_missile_0.jpg
The Russian Chief of the General Staff has threatened a pre-emptive military strike against NATO nations if the alliance goes ahead with plans to site a controversial missile defence system in Eastern Europe.
The country’s president warned last year that the Kremlin would retaliate with force if there was no agreement. Now their top military officer has warned that they might attack first.
General Nikolai Makarov made his threat at a Russia-NATO conference in Moscow, the last major meeting before NATO’s summit in Chicago later this month.
In a prepared speech he said: “A decision to use destructive force pre-emptively will be taken if the situation worsens.”
In what seems a coordinated strategy to put pressure on the White House, at the same meeting, the Defence Minister cautioned that talks with Washington were close to a dead end.
The West says the missile system is needed to shoot down Iranian rockets. Russia fears it would be powerful enough eventually to undermine their nuclear deterrent.
Its control centre at Ramstein in Germany, recently passed its initial operating tests, linking with Aegis radar equipped warships.
NATO‘s Secretary General, speaking after pre-summit talks in Downing Street, insisted the system was not directed against Russia.
http://www.bfbs.com/news/top-story/russia-threatens-missile-shield-strike-57009.html