Any questions? I mean there isn't, right? No? There are? Well, let me make myself a little more clear.
See, these countries know each other all too, too well. They know what goes on and that is called balance of power. One country develops a technology and the other steels the technology and develops retaliation/defense against it and it builds a better technology on the shoulders of the one stolen and all is right with the world.
Did anyone believe President Putin of Russia would tolerate a Patriot Missile System (PMS - Seriously, I've never known the Defense Department to call it PMS. Wonder why?) now termed MDS (Missile Defense Shield), which is a 'grander' scale of the Patriot; at his borders? Well, not for long which is why the expense equipment hasn't been assembled yet. You know how a McCain can 'bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran?' President Putin could easily do the same thing to an MDS while under construction. So, before all that mess occurs and there is war between the USA and Russia, Gates thought he'd try to be 'the nice guy' and put up a good front to the world and primarily the folks back home.
The truth? Want to know the truth? Okay, here we go.
The systems that counteract 'incoming' missiles have a capacity to launch missiles on the same telemetry as the one it intercepted. Didn't know that, huh? Well, the President of Russia did. And when he stated, "...but, you could launch against us from that vantage point...", he was looking at a much larger capacity. What if the USA government could fashion a system that looked like a Patriot/MDS that actually launched ICBMs or Medium range missiles from such a 'benign' looking operation?
Russia ain't stupid, but, in making 'nice-nice' what Bush and Gates have done is open a flood gate of information that will enhance the Russian knowledge of it's intelligence. In other words, whatever benefit MDS would carry for the USA and allies has resulted in a give away to Russia to 'save face' to their constituency. And I can't say this enough, this is a constituency issue and not a National Security issue.
Politics. Bush and Gates are playing politics with our National Security.
Got it?
Oddly and to the dismay of most that read this, I like President Putin. I know may of the actions the Russian government has taken is counter intuitive to the idea of freedom. But, I have and always will consider Russia a good friend to the USA. In realizing that, he is also a good friend to freedom. The issue with Russia is not so much the 'idea' of freedom pervading it's society, as Boris Yeltsin (click on) brought to Russia in elections, but the 'opportunity' to do so. That transformation will never be to the extent it is in the USA, but, would be far greater and 'permitted' under a Global Sovereignty of Peace. Peace is a world Russian vocabulary dearly understands and one which evades any conversations with The West on a regualar basis.
Russia's 'place' in the world has been assigned as "Global Monitor" of the stability of power and unfortunately that takes it into a rhelm of 'protector' of the balance of power rather than a partner in most major Western institutions where 'community' of countries are enjoyed as a emblem of esteem. When a country seems to 'cooperate' it is viewed internationally as a 'partner' and therefore that interprets into the understanding of 'democratic' principles. Russia is always assigned the job of 'bad cop' in the relationship and it doesn't sell well otherwise.
In recognition of the death of a great Soviet/Russian leader, Boris Yeltsin, I wish all well to realize the 'hope' for a lasting Peace is still in the hearts of many an American.
