The Reset hits a Pothole – Radio Free Europe

By Christian Caryl

For a while now, well out of the limelight, Russia and NATO have been negotiating about how to cooperate on missile defense. On Wednesday we got the announcement that the talks have broken down. For good? Hard to say. But the atmospherics don’t sound promising.

There is, potentially, a lot at stake. The Russians have been dropping hints that they might pull out of New START, the much-ballyhooed treaty on nuclear arsenals that went into force earlier this year, if a deal can’t be reached. Even President Dmitry Medvedev, not usually known as a saber-rattler, has allowed himself a few dire predictions. In May he warned about the possibility of a “new Cold War” if talks on missile defense were to fail. (This actually shouldn’t come as such a surprise. It was Medvedev, after all, who vowed to shift Russian short-range missiles to Kaliningrad a few years back in order to deter construction of the European missile shield.)

Vondra: Czechs do not want US “consolation prize” in defence area

Czech Defence Minister Alexandr Vondra made it clear in Brussels Wednesday that the Czech Republic is not satisfied with the U.S. offer to host an early warning centre within NATO’s planned missile defence and said Prague does not seek a mere “consolation prize” from the USA.

Russia may develop nuclear offensive, arms race – Serdyukov

Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov

Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov on Wednesday said that Russia would develop its own offensive nuclear force if NATO fails to come to agreement over the European defense shield.

“We have no other way, otherwise we’ll just have to develop an arms race,” Serdyukov said after a Russia-NATO meeting in Brussels.

The talks in Brussels, he said, did not result in the solution of conceptual approaches and the Russia-NATO working group on the missile shield issue only managed to agree on the plan of work for 2011.

Monterey Sailors Integrate EPAA in Romania

Jun 08, 2011 (DEFENSE DEPARTMENT DOCUMENTS AND PUBLICATIONS/ContentWorks via COMTEX) — Story Number: NNS110608-14 Release Date: 6/8/2011

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Daniel Viramontes, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/ Commander, U.S. 6th Fleet Public, Affairs

CONSTANTA, Romania (NNS) — Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey (CG 61), arrived in Constanta for a scheduled three-day port visit as part of the European Phased Adaptive Approach (EPAA), June 6.

During the visit, U.S. and Romanian dignitaries were given the opportunity to learn about Monterey’s ballistic missile defense (BMD) capabilities and how it integrates into the EPAA.

General from El Paso gets missile test job

Brig. Gen. Heidi V. Brown has a new job.

Brown, an El Paso native, has been appointed to be the deputy of test and assessment for the Missile Defense Agency in Redstone Arsenal, Ala.

Sarah Palin Blasts Obama With Another ‘WTF’

This morning, Sarah Palin posted a criticism of President Barack Obama’s efforts to collaborate with Russia on missile defense, ending her rant with “File this under ‘WTF.’”

Gates Laments Delay in Missile-Defense Agreement With Russia

By Viola Gienger

Defense Secretary Robert Gates today lamented delays in efforts to reach agreement with Russia to cooperate on a U.S.-led NATO missile defense system that leaders in Moscow have persistently opposed.

Gates commented at end of two days of meetings on a range of issues that included Afghanistan and Libya and featured the first meeting of defense ministers within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization-Russia Council in three years. The council is intended to improve relations between the former Cold War adversaries.

Russia calls for broader discussion on European Missile Defense

Russian envoy to NATO Dmitry Rogozin has called for broader cooperation in developing European missile defense after NATO officials said that separate systems were the only option.

­In an opinion article published in the New York Times daily on Wednesday Rogozin wrote that missile defense was a real necessity in times when missile technology has become more affordable and certain nations could use it to make delivery vehicles for their weapons of mass destruction. But the Russian politician questioned the initial motives behind such decisions and said that sometimes non-European nations could use their missiles in response to an aggression similar to the one that happened in Iraq, even though Saddam Hussein had possessed no weapons of mass destruction.

Panetta to Outline Views on Asia, Defense Budget to Committee

CIA Director Leon Panetta, nominated to replace outgoing Sec. of Defense Robert Gates

By Tony Capaccio

CIA Director Leon Panetta has promised to support improvements in the U.S. missile defense program if confirmed to succeed Defense Secretary Robert Gates. Photo: Brendan Smialowski/Bloomberg

North Korea’s ballistic missile program, nuclear enrichment activities and 1 million troops are a “growing and direct threat” to the U.S., according to CIA Director Leon Panetta, nominated to succeed Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

“I intend to monitor the security situation closely and maintain the capabilities necessary to protect our interests, defend our allies and deter North Korea,” Panetta said in written answers to questions posed by the Senate Armed Services Committee in advance of his testimony today before the panel.

India successfully test-fires short-range, nuclear-capable missile

 

NEW DELHI — India test-fired a short-range, nuclear-capable missile Thursday that hit its target accurately, the defense ministry said.