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Reply With Quote"It is not our fault, because we did not start it," he said.
That is just a silly statement. Maybe he should stop suppling weapons and nuclear technology to Iran.
Source: BBC NEWS | Europe | Putin vows 'arms race' responsePutin vows 'arms race' response
Russia's President Vladimir Putin says the world is engaged in a new arms race and Nato is failing to accommodate Russia's concerns.
In a nationally-televised speech, he condemned Nato's expansion and the US plan to include Poland and the Czech Republic in a missile defence shield.
"It is already clear that a new phase in the arms race is unfolding in the world," Mr Putin said.
"It is not our fault, because we did not start it," he said.
Mr Putin was speaking less than a month before Russians elect his successor.
In his speech, to the State Council - Russia's top politicians, officials and generals - he said other countries were spending far more than Russia on new weapons.
But Russia would always respond to the challenges of a new arms race by developing more hi-tech weaponry, he said.
Military muscle
Referring to Nato's activities in Central and Eastern Europe, Mr Putin said "there are many discussions on these, but... we have still not seen any real steps towards finding a compromise".
"In effect, we are forced to retaliate, to take corresponding decisions. Russia has, and always will have, responses to these new challenges," he said.
In December, Russia said it was planning naval exercises in the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.
It has also resumed long-range patrols by its bomber aircraft.
The practice was suspended after the collapse of the Soviet Union and was revived last August, as part of a more assertive foreign policy pursued by President Putin.
Higher oil prices have enabled Russia to re-invest in its armed forces, but its military capabilities remain far below what they were during the Soviet era.
The BBC's World Affairs correspondent Nick Childs says Mr Putin's language will add to growing worries in the West about Russia's new assertiveness.
Our correspondent says there was a time when Moscow appeared weakened, short of money, preoccupied with domestic problems, and relatively passive in terms of foreign policy.
But he says it is clear that Mr Putin is sending a none-too-subtle message that Russia is back on the international stage.
"It is not our fault, because we did not start it," he said.
That is just a silly statement. Maybe he should stop suppling weapons and nuclear technology to Iran.
I dont see Russia building bases in Mexico and Canada.Originally Posted by Bella
I was unaware that the U.S. currently building baes in Mexico and Canada...
That is because Russia is still broke.
Seriously, Poland and Czechoslovakia are part of NATO now, and eagerly joined at that. The sooner Russia acknowledges that, the sooner they will realize that they can't get into a p*ssing contest with us.
And the longer they supply arms to Iran, the more we may be tempted to begin supplying arms to governments (and even resistance groups) on their crumbling southern border.
Public support to NATO in East.Europe is quite high , from 60-90 % . Would Russia be so popular in Canada or Mexico ?
If i only was so smart yesterday as my wife is today
Minding your own biz is great virtue, but situation awareness saves lives - Dok
Ofcourse not, Russia isnt some half-assed country either, It is a threat to them. Dont expect Russia not to retaliate, It is going to be the same way if China puts a base in Pakistan, Our threat level goes up, and in turn will put resources on China as well as Pakistan
Today, America spends more on defense than at any time since the end of World War II, based on the Pentagon's own official budget data. The previous high point in post-World War II defense spending was 1952 - during the Korean War - at $589 billion in today's dollars. The Pentagon's budget request for the current fiscal year totals $670 billion, or a substantial 14 percent above the previous high water mark.
U.S. defense spending is now also larger than the rest of the world - combined. The CIA's 2007 Word Fact Book estimates all other nations to spend about $400 billion on defense. That amount is for not just our potential opponents, whoever they might be; that's the entire rest of the world.
We are told we must worry about China and Russia and prepare against them; something we should really lose sleep over is how they can be such a major concern - to those who point them out as looming threats - with defense budgets of just $81 billion and $21 billion, respectively, according to the CIA.
http://www.defensetech.org/archives/003992.htmlOf course Russia wouldn't.
But it seems China will be soon, as pro-Chinese politicians win elections in Central American countries. Socialists Ortega and Chavez have come to power, they don't like the US too much, to put it mildly, and they prefer to trade with China instead of USA, and they like to get Chinese aid, both financial and military. And all this is right near by the USA.
...or may be we may be tempted to begin supplying arms to... to Iraqi freedom-fighters or to Afghanistan...
Good luck making a new "rat line" into Iraq, and do you believe the taliban & al-qaeda will trust you enough to get Russian weapons directly from Russia?
The stinger missles, mortars, and GPS targetting the CIA provided during the Afghan-Soviet War were a sweeter deal than surplus AK47's and RPG's.
Haha! You really want to start that game? We can supply weapons to nations and people in Russia itself, and areas that used to be part of the Soviet Union. We can supply more and better, with less harm to ourselves. Although what you can supply to the Iraqi's that the Iranians aren't already... And I'm sure the Afghanis would love to support a faction receiving assistance from the Russians. You would really do a lot to discredit our enemies in Afghanistan by helping them.
These aren't the days of the Soviet Union, and Russia can't compete with us anymore and win.
We??? Of course we don't.
These were your words - "to begin supplying arms to governments (and even resistance groups) on their crumbling southern border".
To know what Russia wants, read the Putin's speech : "It is not our fault, because we did not start it," he said.
This is really silly dispute to use such arguments.
I believe that despite a plenty of idiot mistakes that US government has made during last years, they still have not achieved that degree of foolness to make such decisions.
Why directly? And why Russian weapons?
The weapons may be Chinese or North Korean, for example (actually, a lot of variants), the channel of delivery may be Iran or Palestine, or Sudan, or any other country... Just look at the World, it's very very big...
Yeah, all politicians say that kind of thing. Look, we didn't start anything. The sooner the Russians realize that they aren't strong enough to be our enemy anymore (the American people seem to recognize that, the Russian people sure as hell don't seem to though) the happier they will be.
I suppose whether it is stupid or not depends on how many weapons and how much technology Russia gives to Iran. You supply our enemies, don't forget we can supply yours.This is really silly dispute to use such arguments.
I believe that despite a plenty of idiot mistakes that US government has made during last years, they still have not achieved that degree of foolness to make such decisions.
so why is russia such a concern than?
Last edited by omon; 12 Feb 08, at 00:57.
"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote!" B. Franklin
Supplying weapons and technology to Iran is a problem for us... if we deign to respond in kind Russia is in deep trouble.
If Russia makes itself our enemy (something Putin seems intent on) we will win. Just because we don't take Russia as a threat now (because short of nuclear weapons it isn't) doesn't mean we can't seriously harm Russia in an indirect manner in the future.
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