kpozin.net Projects & Musings by Konstantin Pozin

The Obama administration today announced that it is scuttling its plans to install missile defense equipment in countries in Eastern Europe. The change of heart happened, to a large extent, because of vocal opposition and overt threats of military response from Russia.

Why the opposition? The New York Times notes that Russian "Prime Minister Vladimir V. Putin [...] had repeatedly assailed the antimissile system as a grievous threat to Russia’s security."¹

So we return to my earlier question: how would a defensive missile interceptor system, which cannot be used for attacks, pose a threat to Russia's security?

In that Mr. Putin believes that Russia's security requirements include the ability to bomb into oblivion parts of Poland, the Czech Republic, and other former Soviet countries, if and when he so desires. And to do so unencumbered by American defense installations. That is all.