The Second Cold War Is Underway

[cupcakelove]

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/06/04/russia.putin.ap/index.html

Moscow could aim nuclear weapons at targets in Europe as part of "retaliatory steps" if Washington proceeds with building a missile defense system on the continent, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Monday.

I don't really understand why Russia is so upset about this defensive missile shield. Unless it has offensive capabilities as well. If they are worried because this diminishes their ability to launch a counter attack, then couldn't they just buildup their defenses too instead of taking this offensive stance?

[A.J.]

I don't really understand why Russia is so upset about this defensive missile shield.

They shouldn't be. The damn thing won't work anyway.

[Yerdaddy]

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/06/04/russia.putin.ap/index.html



I don't really understand why Russia is so upset about this defensive missile shield. Unless it has offensive capabilities as well. If they are worried because this diminishes their ability to launch a counter attack, then couldn't they just buildup their defenses too instead of taking this offensive stance?

There is no defense against nukes except having nukes and, (in theory), this system we're building. Russia can't afford this system and they wouldn't agree to our conditions for letting them in,(I don't remember what it was, but it was an absurd request, like them giving up most of their nukes or letting us build a Death Ray in space or something). So they've got to do something to counter this and they're threatening Europe where installations will be based. It's attatching a cost to Europe and us for threatening them.

Why is a defense a threat? Nuclear deterrance was based on the idea that if both countries could wipe each other out with nukes then neither would launch a first strike. But if one country can, (in theory), destroy the other's nukes before they are destroyed themselves then the "mutually assured destruction" is not so mutually assured. Russia sees this as making it more likely that the U.S. would launch an attack. Then, along with that goes a major "soft power" advantage to the U.S. In any of our security conflicts with Russia - and there are many - all negotiations will take place in the context that we can nuke them and they can't nuke us. Call it a permanent wild card.

However you look at it Russia loses with this strategy of ours. Except for one thing: the "missile shield" so far doesn't work, and there's no way to know when or if it ever will. So far we know it's failed most of its tests - there was a failure a week or so ago. Some of the tests that failed were rigged by the contractors to keep the checks coming and they still failed and the checks are still coming. It's a project that is so riddled with corruption and political deception that scientists have quit in disgust and experts don't even know how to define progress. It's very much been like the Patriot Missiles in the Gulf War I, which the military and Bush I claimed had a 95% success rate, but ten years later the military finally admitted a 5% success rate. It's so currupt that I don't expect that the technology to make the system function will even exist until they scrap the current projec, indict some of the project heads, fine some of the contractors a tiny fraction of what they stole from us, and started from scratch.

But Russia knows this and will use it to play us like the system works in some circumstances and like we're bluffing at others. And, coupled with Russia's backsliding from democracy and our aggressive and insane international posture in the world, yes, the Cold War is coming back to a degree. It's just that it's just one cold war of many we're entering into right now, including: Iran, the Wurr on Turr, China, India/Pakistan, (which we're now giving and selling weapons to both sides to, and which will escalate as soon as some tradgedy happens to Musharraf), the Horn of Africa in which we're blundering into small proxy wars with Islamists, and I'm sure I'll think of some more if you want. It's just that a cold war with Russia doesn't even make the top 3 crises we've got right now.

[Yerdaddy]

Yeah, so what I should have said was "ditto".

[Furtherman]

Putin has become a real dick lately. Wasn't he all buddy-buddy with us when he came into power? Now he's poisoning critics and pointing missles.

[TheMojoPin]

Putin has become a real dick lately. Wasn't he all buddy-buddy with us when he came into power? Now he's poisoning critics and pointing missles.

I see nothing wrong with this. KGB FTW.

[Dudeman]

Putin has become a real dick lately. Wasn't he all buddy-buddy with us when he came into power? Now he's poisoning critics and pointing missles.

Don't worry, our president has looked into his soul. Some quotes from bush on putin:

"I looked the man in the eye. I found him to be very straightforward and trustworthy. We had a very good dialogue. I was able to get a sense of his soul; a man deeply committed to his country and the best interests of his country. And I appreciated so very much the frank dialogue.
There was no kind of diplomatic chit-chat, trying to throw each other off balance. There was a straightforward dialogue. And that's the beginning of a very constructive relationship. I wouldn't have invited him to my ranch if I didn't trust him.

"I consider Vladimir Putin one of my good friends.
Every time I come to St. Petersburg, he keeps showing me more and more beautiful rooms. "

[AnnoyedGrunt]

If Russia is so worried about this shield they should announce their Doomsday Machine at the Party Congress on Monday. As you know, Putin loves surprises.

[Midkiff]

Rrrrrrrrrrrrraaaaamoooooooooooooone!!!!!!!!!!

Putin Putin Putin is a cunt cunt cunt!

[scottinnj]

Putin was like the biggest warning symbol to conservatives like me who should have seen how Bush was a cunt from the get-go. Remember Bush's line of "I looked into his eyes and saw his soul?" or some douchey Brokeback Mountain faggot line like that? Jesus H Christ-Putin was in CHARGE of the KGB when Leonid Brezhnev was in power. Now if you know your history, or have watched "Spys like Us" you'll remember the KGB were the Bad Guys in all the 007 movies.

Putin is a cunt.
Bush is a douchbag.

I can't believe we have lost all the goodwill Bush Sr and Clinton built up with Yeltsin. Putin is a bad guy and Bush is a buffoon to even try to talk to him.

[DarkHippie]

I'm sharpening my machete for when the post nuclear zombies show up

[scottinnj]

If Russia is so worried about this shield they should announce their Doomsday Machine at the Party Congress on Monday. As you know, Putin loves surprises.




http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o217/themarshal/DrStrangelove.jpg
SEIG HEIL!

[high fly]

Well hell, Bush has screwed up everything else he's had a go at, so this shouldn';t be a surprise.
I understand he is consulting with top envitronmental scientists to see if he can bring back the Dust Bowl....

[Midkiff]

Well hell, Bush has screwed up everything else he's had a go at, so this shouldn';t be a surprise.
I understand he is consulting with top environmental scientists to see if he can bring back the Dust Bowl....

Those were the days!!!

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/ReleaseImages/20040318/01_theb1365.jpg

[high fly]

Looks like Bush Is 'smokin'-em out!'

[Havenostaples]

Putin is trying to put Russia back on the dominance map. He figures with all of the oil wealth they have, they should be feared and respected.

[booster11373]

It is the summer of sequels is it not?

[Crispy123]

I'm sharpening my machete for when the post nuclear zombies show up

Its only a matter of time

Why Zombies are biologically impossible (http://ronfez.net/forums/showthread.php?t=60560&highlight=zombies)

[cupcakelove]

It looks like everything is going to be OK.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/06/07/bush.putin/index.html

U.S. President George W. Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed Thursday to cooperate on missile-defense systems, cooling tensions between the two leaders at the G8 summit in Germany.

[Dougie Brootal]

It looks like everything is going to be OK.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/06/07/bush.putin/index.html

no its not!! havent you heard!??!?!?
Its only a matter of time

Why Zombies are biologically impossible (http://ronfez.net/forums/showthread.php?t=60560&highlight=zombies)

[cupcakelove]

no its not!! havent you heard!??!?!?

Oh, I'm sorry, when I said everything, I meant everything related to the Cold War 2.0, not the undead.

[Dougie Brootal]

Oh, I'm sorry, when I said everything, I meant everything related to the Cold War 2.0, not the undead.

it happens.