Russia's Softening On Missile Defense Will Not Alter US Plans: Rice

[Purveyor]

Source: Associated Press

NEW YORK: The United States will pursue its own plans to put a missile defense in Eastern Europe despite Russian suggestions to locate it outside the region, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told The Associated Press Friday.

Rice said Russian President Vladimir Putin's surprise offer to share a Soviet-era radar tracking station in Azerbaijan for the project had caught the Bush administration off guard, but that it was worth looking into even while missile defense negotiations with Poland and the Czech Republic continue.

"One does not choose sites for missile defense out of the blue," she said in an interview. "It's geometry and geography as to how you intercept a missile."

"This is an idea that has not yet been vetted," she said of Putin's offer, made Thursday to President George W. Bush at a meeting in Germany. "We have to see whether Azerbaijan makes any sense in the context of missile defense."



Read more: http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/06/08/america/NA-GEN-US-Rice-Interview.php

[NovaNardis]

1. Of course

Bush Administration diplomacy is get other countries to back down and do whatever the hell we feel like doing. He's absolutely a child, and as much as I tried to like Condi -- searching for the sane one in the nut house -- she's aiding and abetting.

It's one thing to pull this crap on countries like Iran and North Korea, where we have some semblance of world opinion on our side, but if they're not careful they could start WWIII one of these days. Or maybe they want to jump start Armageddon, and get a good spot in line for hell.

[cliss]

2. It's becoming very clear -

Putin is engaged in world-class chess with Bush. It's super-high stakes. The pieces being moved around are enormous; pawns, rooks, towers. And missile defense installations.

Of course, since they are going to reject Putin's plan of relocating the bases to Azerbaijan, now they have to explain why it's so important to keep them in e. Europe.

And here's where 'check mate' comes in: since Bush publicly said the bases were "to protect Europe" against Iran and N. Korea, now he has to explain why he needs them right where they are, when Azerbaijan would be more effective.

Check Mate, Clown.
Let's see him open his mouth again, today.

[Kagemusha]

3. An idea that has not been vetted. Ugh

Just as I suspected. Bush's saying nice things about it will be relegated to Bush simply not knowing how stupid he sounded to his horrified advisors. (Edit: Meant to reply to the original post, actually. Oops. No harm though.)

[daleo]

6. Excellent analysis

Poker works too.

Putin called Bush's bluff, so now Bush has to show his real cards or fold. The real cards (in my opinion) are:

- threaten the only other really dangerous nuclear power with at first strike, backed up by missile defense that would (possibly) blunt a counter-strike

and/or

- spend a lot of taxpayer cash on the military-industrial complex for no purpose but to enrich corporate friends.

Everyone can take their choice, though I lean to toward the second alternative. It's simpler and more cynical.

[BushOut06]

4. Are these people fucking STUPID or what?

Goddamned, this shit is really driving me insane.

If the goal of the missile defense shield is to counter Iran, then why not locate it closer to Iran? What is the fucking possible logic for placing it in Eastern Europe? It seems like the goal is solely to antagonize Russia, to show them who's the boss.

"We have to see whether Azerbaijan makes any sense" - jeesus, can you believe that these fucking idiots are our leaders?

[Canuckistanian]

5. No other country will have them, that's why

Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, the Gulf States or even Greece will all tell the US to get stuffed.

Azerbaijan is their only hope to get close enough for cruise missiles.

Those former Eastern Bloc countries already have the secret CIA prisons. They can't possibly refuse a few missiles here and there.