US, Romania break ground on missile defense system

SM-3 launch from the USS Lake Erie.  The SM-3s are going to Romania.

 

Russia - 'The missiles are pointed at us.'

Moscow has demanded legal guarantees from Washington that missile defense systems deployed in Europe would not target Russia's strategic nuclear deterrence capabilities. Washington has refused to grant Russia such assurances.

 

 

In the "How to win friends and influence people department". 

The question of the day:  is the US trying to create a new Cold War with Russia in order to justify endless military spending? 

Obama and hacks in both parties painted Russia as the spawn of Satan during the Syria crisis.  Never mind that the Russians were simply defending their ally of 40 years.

Now we come to Romania.  On Oct. 28 the nation started building a military base, which will host a U.S. ballistic missile defense system as part of the NATO system.  NATO claims the missiles are directed at Iran.

The plan is to have the Deveselu base in southern Romania operational in 2015. It will house SM-3 interceptor missiles and radar equipment reports Hurriyet Daily News.

‘Serious partnership’

Russia has voiced strong opposition against the missile defense plans, fearing they could jeopardize its own security. Romanian President Traian Basescu and U.S. Under-Secretary of Defense for Policy James Miller attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the Aegis Ashore missile defense system.

Romanian Defense Minister Mircea Dusa said: “This is a serious partnership with the U.S. It is the first capability of its kind being deployed here in Eastern Europe.”
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(L-R) US Vice Adm Syring, Romanian President Basescu, Miller, US Undersecretary of Defense for
Policy and Dusa, Defense Minister shovel during the ceremony. AFP photo

Romania’s participation in the NATO system constitutes the second phase of the missile defense. The first part of the system, an early warning radar station in Turkey, went operational in January 2012. Aside from Romania, other elements of the system will be built in Portugal, Poland, and Spain.

The issue of the US missile shield in Europe has been a longstanding bone of contention in Russia-US relations. Moscow has demanded legal guarantees from Washington that missile defense systems deployed in Europe would not target Russia's strategic nuclear deterrence capabilities. Washington has refused to grant Russia such assurances, citing a need to protect Europe from ‘rogue states' like Iran and North Korea.  

On Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov "missile defense remains a burning issue," adding that Russia’s position is well-known.

"We are ready for a constructive dialogue with the US and NATO and are open to finding a compromise, but let's not pretend that the incessant talks that there is nothing within the scheme of the American-led ABM that needs to be changed, nor that it’s not against Russia,  that all this talk can somehow settle things,” Lavrov said reports RT News.

Lavrov said Russia is interested in strengthening all aspects of strategic stability, regional stability the neutralization of threats through political and diplomatic means.

Earlier this month, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said there is yet to be mutually beneficial cooperation between Russia and NATO on the issue of the missile defense program, as not all the security concerns of Russia are being taken into account by its partners.

A bilateral agreement to deploy missile interceptors inside Romania was signed at the Pentagon one day after the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. The planned interceptors include the land-based SM-3 ballistic missile defense system.