Pentagon Unaware What's to Develop in Russia

[Xtoisè]

http://www.kommersant.com/p-10068/Russia_potential_enemy/

http://www.kommersant.com/photo/300/News/2007/02/08/R20070207434_l.jpg



U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates apparently thinks his country should be armed for a big war. "We don't know what's going to develop in places like Russia and China, in North Korea, in Iran and elsewhere," Gates said, specifying the United States needs both special troops to fight terrorists and ground troops capable of fighting big regular armies.
Robert Gates made the respective statement February 7, when addressing the House Armed Services Committee. On that day, the legislators focused on the U.S. military budget for 2008.

Gates backed up the draft, which steps up the strength of the ground troops and the Marine Corps. The actions are expected to improve the rapid reaction ability of the forces, should some new threats emerge.

Contrary to North Korea and Iran, Pentagon chiefs have never mentioned either Russia or China amid the potential enemies since the time of the cold war.

[KillerBD]

I don't think we're (the U.S.) going to go the war with Russia or China any time soon. But I see where this guy is coming from. Its still good to prepare for battle against a professional army on a large scale as well as training for urban operations against smaller guerilla forces and terrorists.

[MichaelF]

Gates backed up the draft, which steps up the strength of the ground troops and the Marine Corps. .

Draft??????

[Xtoisè]

Draft??????

Interesting, good find.

[usa320]

Not really that reputable of a source. THe story is kinda botched.

Anywho, i think that in the even of a large scale ground war with Russia or China, not only would a draft be necessary, but anyone with a brain on their shoulders would expect it.

[Xaito]

Gates backed up the draft, which steps up the strength of the ground troops and the Marine Corps.
thats what it's about - they sent a lot of soldiers to their death in iraq - now they don't have enough recruits to fill the gaps.
Now the scaremongering begins to implement the draft.
They should just watch out not to overdo it.

[xav]

So that basically means Russia and China are back on the "mighty" axis of evil?

nice...not. The bull**** needs to stop. seriously.

[DarthJesus]

In this case, "draft" means the draft of the 2008 military budget, not conscription of soldiers.

[Some Dude]

Excellent. Gates clearly does not suffer from the short-sightedness of his predecessor.

[Limeyfellow]

Excellent. Gates clearly does not suffer from the short-sightedness of his predecessor.

When his predecessor is Rumsfeld thats not too hard. After all he sat on the group that decided to give the Shah of Iran a nuclear reactor and blocked anyone doing anything about the Shah nuclear weapons programme in the 70s. He was then the one who sold weapons of mass destruction and lots of small arms to Iraq to fund a war against Iran in which it was turned into the use of genocide on Iraqi people. Wouldn't be too surprised if he had words about the stinger missiles to Afghanistan too.

When there is a clusterf$%@ its almost guaranteed you hear the names Rumsfeld or Cheney involved.

[AztecMex]

Its to cover there @$$es because they need more troops in iraq so they are useing this as the excuse.

[8thidpathfinderpower]

Its to cover there @$$es because they need more troops in iraq so they are useing this as the excuse.

I have a question for you my friend...have YOU really taken a look at what has been going on in Russia as of the last few years??? Have YOU taken a look at all the new, and modrenized weapon systems (from tanks to ballistic missles to planes and ships) these guys have been putting out? Have you taken a look at the political and social devolopments that have happened over the last decade? If not, better go back and take a look.

[Xtoisè]

Its to cover there @$$es because they need more troops in iraq so they are useing this as the excuse.

United States cant stay long in Iraq because all the training and equipment being sent to insurgents from Iran and other countries slowly weakens US forces whilst a conventional war against Iran would be alot easier.

[He219]

You completely missed the boat, Xtoisè.
Literally (http://www.kcrw.com/news/programs/tp/tp070206the_defense_budget_a/media_player_archives?action=listen)
p-)

[Violet Fashion by Mindy]

Nothing is going to develop in Russia. However recent NATA/US actions in former nations allied to the Soviet Bloc and nations which have historically been allied to Russia combined with NATO expansion could lead to Russia becoming paraniod with a siege mentality.

[Xtoisè]

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20070208/60414285.html

17:01 | 08/ 02/ 2007



MOSCOW, February 8 (RIA Novosti) - Russian analysts argue that Washington's consistent efforts to redeploy its missile defense system closer to Russia's borders may be an indication the U.S. administration seeks to revive the "Cold War" against Moscow and its allies.

Washington has recently moved its largest sea-based missile defense radar in the Pacific from Hawaii to the Aleutian Islands, not far from Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula. It has also announced plans to install a radar system in the Czech Republic and a missile interceptor site in Poland, which it says it needs to protect itself against a potential threat from Iran.

Gleb Pavlovsky, Russia's most famous spin-doctor, said that U.S. plans to build missile defense sites in Central Europe may spur an arms race.

"This surely is the beginning of an arms race in some sense," he said. "Which is all the more unjustified given that Russia has never, not on a single issue, expressed an intention to confront the U.S. or to deter it."

According to Pavlovsky, another sign of Washington's increasingly hostile policies vis-a-vis Moscow is Freedom House's latest Freedom in the World survey, where the U.S. government-funded advocacy group placed Russia in the ""not free" category, alongside North Korea, Cuba and Libya, countries where the U.S. is waging or considering military action.

"We should be aware that Russia has been placed in the group of targeted nations," he said.

Sergei Markov, director of the Institute for Political Research, also believes the United States views Russia as a potential adversary.

"We can see that Russia is increasingly perceived [by the U.S.] as a potential foe," he said, explaining that Washington tends to build its missile defense shields near countries whose political regimes it deems dangerous for its own security.

Speaking to the U.S. House of Representatives Wednesday, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Peter Pace said: "I think we need the full range of military capabilities. We need both the ability for regular force-on-force conflicts because we don't know what's going to develop in places like Russia and China, in North Korea, in Iran and elsewhere."

Vasily Likhachev, deputy head of the International Affairs Committee in Russia's upper house of parliament, said the deployment of U.S. missile shields close to Russian borders is intended as a political weapon against Moscow.

"It is not as much about the [George W.] Bush Administration's self-promotion to boost ratings as it is about [creating] a system of ideological and political pressure on Russia and its allies," he said.

"Is it the 'Cold War' in a 21st-century packaging, or just some elements of it? That's a subject for further reflection. But this much is clear: the West is not ready for full-fledged cooperation with Russia."

Leonid Ivashov, vice president of the Academy of Geopolitical Problems, interpreted the U.S.'s latest moves in the area of missile defense as an offensive on Russia's strategic interests. He specifically cited the deployment of U.S. interceptor missiles around Russia's borders and the creation of a radar and space reconnaissance system.

"The Americans withdrew from the ABM [Anti-Ballistic Missile] treaty precisely to restore full control over the strategic nuclear potentials of Russia and China," he said.

In December 2001, President Bush announced the U.S. would unilaterally pull out of the treaty, signed with the Soviet Union during the "Cold War" era, saying it hindered his government's ability to protect the nation from future terrorist or missile attacks by rogue states.

Ivashov warned that unless it takes countermeasures to neutralize the U.S. threat, the country could be in for a bleak future.

"Russia may end up cornered in the north, and it will become a tiny Nordic country."

[Xtoisè]

You completely missed the boat, Xtoisè.
Literally (http://www.kcrw.com/news/programs/tp/tp070206the_defense_budget_a/media_player_archives?action=listen)
p-)

i have to subscribe to view that, but my opinion is very substantial, afer recent helicopter downings and increased opposition to US forces, Iraq will keep dragging US down if they stay there to figh unconvential war. What are you going to do about a hidden enemy with Iglas or similar MANPADs? or every single one of them will be equipped with an SVD?

[Switek]

Russian analysts suspect U.S. of intentions to revive "Cold War"

Seems that Russian paranoia got nourishment for long time... :|

[BloodyTalon]

MOSCOW, February 8 (RIA Novosti) - Russian analysts argue that we're at war with the United States. We have always been at war with the United States. War is Peace. Freedom is Slavery. Ignorance is Strength.

fixt.

1234567890987654321

[Xaito]

Seems that Russian paranoia got nourishment for long time... :|

its the same with USA - oh and poland of course.

[Switek]

its the same with USA - oh and poland of course.

what Poland has to do with this topic?

[redfox0035]

Russia won't be dragged into arms race - Ivanov


SEVILLE. Feb 9 (Interfax) - Russia will not be dragged into any arms race, Russian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov told a news conference in Seville on Friday.

"Of course, our response will be asymmetric. It will not be costly. And if anyone tries to return us to the arms race, we are not going to rejoin it," he said.

It is impossible today to destroy a middle-range missile or an intercontinental ballistic missile without harming people living on Earth, Ivanov said. "Something will rain down on someone's head from the sky. We are strongly worried about it," the minister said.

[Xaito]

what Poland has to do with this topic?

it has its own little cold war going on - with meat bans and pipelines ;)
but basically nothing - just added the comment about poland to tease you a little bit :D

[Trouble]

I have a question for you my friend...have YOU really taken a look at what has been going on in Russia as of the last few years??? Have YOU taken a look at all the new, and modrenized weapon systems (from tanks to ballistic missles to planes and ships) these guys have been putting out? Have you taken a look at the political and social devolopments that have happened over the last decade? If not, better go back and take a look.

Well said. Russia of today is not the kinder, gentler Russia of the early 1990's no matter how much everyone wants to still think so.

[Xtoisè]

I have a question for you my friend...have YOU really taken a look at what has been going on in Russia as of the last few years??? Have YOU taken a look at all the new, and modrenized weapon systems (from tanks to ballistic missles to planes and ships) these guys have been putting out? Have you taken a look at the political and social devolopments that have happened over the last decade? If not, better go back and take a look.

United States have never stopped modernizing its military.

[8thidpathfinderpower]

United States have never stopped modernizing its military.


That maybe true, but the Russians have done far more, lets take a look at some of the weapons systems fielded so far....

A mobile ICBM.
Updated and modernized versions of current service military aircraft. (includes fighters, bombers, and transports and helicopters)

Up dated surface ships(new cruisers and destroyers and frigates) and updated submarines. (includes SSBN and SSN)

New assualt rifles and modrenized versions of current weapons. New armor(tanks, T90, T98, T94 T80, and others) New armored personnel carriers.

And lets not forget the political climate with the former Soviet republics of Georgia, Kazikstan, Uzbekestan, and other countries who either joined Nato or the european union. And the resurgence of the communist party as a political force.

Yes the cold war is over. But, events in Russia are finally getting the worlds attention again. Lets hope the current Russian government can keep a lid on some of the rumblings coming from within the country.

[8thidpathfinderpower]

You know the most terrifying scenerio of modren times, is the proliferation of nuclear weapons technology from the former Soviet Union. And this is one of the reasons why the United States withdrew from the ABM treaty. The other being, is the continued modrenization of Russian ICBMs and fielding a new bomber. And the other reason is the changing face of technology, with China and North Korea devolping their own IRBMs and ICBMs.

[Switek]

it has its own little cold war going on - with meat bans and pipelines ;)
but basically nothing - just added the comment about poland to tease you a little bit :D

I didn't feel teased at all... :roll:

going back to the topic:

Russia is main suppliers of modern military weaponry to states like Venezuela, Iran, Syria and few more ... So it's not surprise that Washington see ambigous role of Russia...

[Xaito]

That maybe true, but the Russians have done far more
they have to to keep up with USA - of course there is still an arms race going on - Russia has to keep up with the USA for different reasons - to have power for staying independant and to be influential and also to have good hardware they can sell.
Because of this they have to develop hardware to counter american stuff and vice versa.

usa and russia both make money by exporting their weapons - they just have to split the customers between them - America has sold weapons to states like Venezuela and Iran too - these states have a problem with america now - but not with russia - there is no reason why russia shouldnt sell them weapons.
You guys dont see the difference between a rival and an enemy - Russia is a rival because it has its own interests but that doesnt make it an enemy.
A war with America is not in Russias interest.
You might not realize it but Russia is just as uncertain of America's intentions as america is of Russia's.


Russia of today is not the kinder, gentler Russia of the early 1990's no matter how much everyone wants to still think so.
Russia got back on its feet so it doesnt have to bow to you anymore - you just have to accept russia as an equal partner instead of an lackey.