US Interceptors In Europe Fast Enough To Hit Russian ICBMs: Researcher

[Purveyor]

Source: AFP

WASHINGTON (AFP) — Interceptor missiles deployed in Poland as part of a US missile defense shield would be fast enough to target Russian intercontinental missiles, contrary to US assurances, a US researcher said Thursday.

Ted Postol, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a long time critic of the US missile defense system, said the US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) is understating the speed of the interceptor and overstating the speed of Russian long range missiles.

MDA spokesman Rick Lehner said Postol had no access to missile test data and his assertions were "totally false."

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Russia has objected vehemently to the plan on grounds that the European site could be used against its missiles, despite repeated denials from Washington.

Postol said the Americans "were probably concerned the Europeans wouldn't accept (the plan) so they came up with the false argument that the interceptors won't be fast enough to engage Russians' ICBMs."



Read more: http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gvuRFfUYth0Wo0G2iZm7ysGZokTw

[Pawel K]

1. YAY! Cold War II

All those Russians have to do is set up some missles in Cuba and Mexico and we are all set. Maybe we'll leave those brown people alone for now.

[hobbit709]

2. There's a lot of difference between fast and accurate.

Remember the Patriots vs. the Scuds

[Purveyor]

4. Russia has enough ICBM's that any system currently available would be overwhelmed

by a massive launch.

[Warren Stupidity]

6. And Russia would have to maintain and enhance that force

and perhaps develop new generations of missiles and counter measures to retain MAD. The Bush administration is destabilizing the military balance of power and that is a very dangerous thing to do.

[Hobarticus]

9. Which is zactly the point...

The system was never intended to shoot down Sov ICBMs. They won't shoot onesies or twosies at us....they'll empty their silos. Nothing could repel a massive strike like that.

The system was built for "rogue nations" like Iran or North Korea who may only have onesies or twosies to shoot. So, why in eastern Europe?

Why there are weapons based in eastern Europe for mission they could never accomplish is beyond me. Maybe economic payback to Poland for being in the "coalition of the bribed"?

[Javaman]

3. Wow, that really comforts me...

:scared:

[Fearless]

5. Umm... "contrary to US assurance"?

Spectacular.

[wuushew]

7. Rejecting Putin's offer was a profound blunder

basing interceptors in Azerbaijan not only would have been much more effective in intercepting Iranian missiles but would have improved international relations between Russia, Europe and the United States as well.


The only plausible explanation is that the Neo-cons want a new Cold War with Russia and stand to profit immensely from a massive expansion of missile defense along the length of Eastern Europe.

[Megahurtz]

8. WTF

are they gonna attack Russia now? :sarcasm:

The Greedy Money-Grabbing War Mongers are so ITCHING for a fight they'll take anybody down.
Or so they think they can. Sickening.

[Igel]

10. Isn't Postol the guy who said

that the interceptor idea was useless, that they'd never be able to intercept missiles. Whatever the administration, it had to be overstating the case?

So now he's saying that whatever the administration says, it now has to be overstating the case, the interceptor system is too good?

Excuse me. I need to go and get a neckbrace and some painkillers for the whiplash.

[Barrett808]

11. He's simply questioning the official claim of 6.3 km/s

Which he infers is a lowballed figure to make the system palatable to Europeans.

I wouldn't call this an endorsement.