Russia Has a Hissy Fit over Czech Radar Station

Although Russia has increased in strength since the Boris Yeltsin days, mostly due to rising energy prices, it has signaled its weakness and vulnerability by over reacting to a planned US-Czech radar station that would be a part of a ballistic missile defense plan.

The silliness is that Russian statements will heighten tension over a system that is clearly defensive in nature. Russia knows the limited missile defense system would do nothing in the event of a massive Russian strike. The US and NATO knows the missile defense system is only good for stopping one or two missiles fired from a nation bent on committing suicide (i.e., martyrdom).

Russia is flexing its muscle on this because it's reach and strength are so limited. It is crippled by AIDS, alcoholism, a crashing birth rate, corruption, lack of freedom, and corporate oligarchies tied to the Kremlin.

So what will Russia do? It'll re-target a few missiles most likely. This is nothing to be terribly alarmed at, the missiles can be re-targeted easily by Russian programmers. There is little reason to believe that hundreds of Russian missiles weren't already targeting Europe anyway just as they throughout the Cold War.

Poland is also involved in the plan to protect Europe from ballistic missiles. The real threat, which Russia also knows, is from an Iranian missile fired in anger over a strike against its nuclear facilities by Israel or the US.

Missile defense is designed to save lives, it is a defensive system for civilians living in cities. Strategically, it is far less useful than building more missiles and warheads, which would be far cheaper and easier.