Will Russia Aim Its Missiles At US Missile Defense?

Russian President Medvedev has that Russia will move its missiles to border areas, and aim them
at US Missile Defense Sites if the US continues plans for a European missile shield.

Russia has always said that any missiles placed in Europe are considered a threat to Russia and its
nuclear forces. The US maintains that there are meant to deter a possible launch from Iran or other
nations in the region.

Russia has also said that it is possible New Start arms control will become void as Russia will
decide not to continue with the plans already agreed to.

Russia had originally agreed to consider the NATO proposal for the shields to be placed in
Poland and Romania, but talks have reached a stalemate on how the systems would operate.
Russia wants the system to be run jointly, but NATO has rejected that idea.

So as our Congress has failed to reach agreement on the budget, and the Department of Defense
will be facing huge budgetary cuts which could further weaken our military, Russia continues
to bluster and rattle sabers.

We should take the Russian statements at face value, and determine to forge ahead with the
missile shields to protect Europe and America. We can not back down from threats such as
this, I do not believe they are idle threats, and now the Russians want us to bow to their
wishes; something we must not, now or ever, do.

Jerald Terwilliger
National Chairman
American Cold War Veterans
"We Remember"

---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996

Russian Missiles in South Ossetia

It has been reported that Russia has placed Tochka ballistic missiles South Ossetia, which broke
away from Georgia in 2008.

These missiles are also called SS-21 Scarab, and have a range of about 75 miles. They are capable
of stopping any aggression from Georgia according to reports from Russia.

The Georgian Foreign Ministry stated "The deployment poses a direct and overt threat to the
peaceful population and territory of Georgia. By taking such actions Russia follows through
with its aggressive policy directed towards the destruction of the Georgian statehood and
elimination of the peaceful population of Georgia, as well as towards causing large-scale
instability in the Caucasus and through out the Black Sea Region"

The statement went on to say "It needs to be emphasized that it was with the use of
(Tochka) systems that the Russia Federation completely destroyed the city of Balmut
(Republic of Chechnya) and eliminated its peaceful population. The ballistic missiles
of this system can be equipped with cluster (consisting of 50 bomb-lets) and nuclear
warheads."

So it seems that Russia is determined to maintain its pressure on Georgia, and to further
build its forces in the region. The quiet may not last much longer. We can only hope
that both sides can reach a peaceful conclusion.

Jerald Terwilliger
National Chairman
American Cold War Veterans
"We Remember"

---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996