Russia bares its military teeth

Russia Bares Its Military Teeth

The American Government's Attitude Will Provoke Nuclear Re-armourment

BBC News, October 2, 2003

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov has said his country does not rule out a pre-emptive military strike anywhere in the world if the national interest demands it.

He said that Russia faced foreign interference in its internal affairs and instability in neighbouring states as well as classic threats such as the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, international terrorism and the drugs trade.

President Vladimir Putin, who met Mr Ivanov on Thursday, added that the Russian military still possessed a formidable nuclear arsenal.

Putin: "Russia's nuclear arsenal as deadly as ever."

A report by the Defence Ministry also called on Nato to review its strategy, warning that otherwise it would be necessary to pursue "a radical reconstruction of Russian military planning, including changes in Russian nuclear strategy".

"Their [Russian missiles'] combat characteristics, including the surmounting of any systems of anti-missile defences, are unrivalled " Vladimir Putin

Mr Putin has signed an agreement with US President George W Bush to cut the two countries' nuclear arsenals by two-thirds in 10 years.

But many in Russia's military establishment are angry about former East Bloc allies joining Nato, as the Western alliance moves into traditional spheres of Russian influence.

Iraq lessons
Mr Ivanov was speaking in Moscow at a conference of the Russian military leadership.

In an apparent reference to the US-led invasion of Iraq, Mr Ivanov said that the use of force without UN approval could encourage countries to acquire a nuclear potential.

But he said that Russia could not rule out the use of force itself "if the interests of Russia or its alliance obligations demand it".

Russia's new national security doctrine, unveiled last year, allows the use of all possible force, including nuclear weapons, to oppose attacks, if all other methods fail.

Previously, Russia said it would only use nuclear weapons if its national sovereignty was under threat.

Addressing Thursday's meeting, Mr Putin said Russia had "at her disposal a considerable... stockpile of heavy ground-launched strategic missiles...".

"Their combat characteristics, including the surmounting of any systems of anti-missile defences, are unrivalled," he said.

The president added that the arsenal included many strategic nuclear missiles never before deployed.

	Russian Defence Chief Warns About US Nuclear Attack on Iran	Comment by Larry Ross	January 25, 2007
	Russian Ex-Chief of Defence, General Ivashov's analysis is very similar to many articles on our website and in my comments. I think it is one of the most informed professional analysis so far of US intentions to nuclear bomb Iran. He even refers to a pretext or what many have referred to as a "False Flag" incident to get the Senate and Congress to give their approval for a nuclear attack on Iran. The article should convince people that now is the time to take action if they wish to prevent a US nuclear attack on Iran and all the disastrous consequences that can follow. I can't see any effective action or purpose in protest after such an attack when casualties are already in the millions with perhaps many more to come.

	Iran Must Get Ready to Repel a Nuclear Attack	by Leonid Ivashov, Global Research	January 24, 2007
	In the overall flow of information coming from the Middle East, there are increasingly frequent reports indicating that within several months from now the US will deliver nuclear strikes on Iran. For example, citing well-informed but undisclosed sources, the Kuwaiti Arab Times wrote that the US plans to launch a missile and bomb attack on the territory of Iran before the end of April, 2007. The campaign will start from the sea and will be supported by the Patriot missile defense systems in order to let the US forces avoid a ground operation and to reduce the efficiency of the return strike by “any Persian Gulf country”. Strategic Cultural Foundation (Russia)