LAT: Russia Seeks Safety in Nuclear Arms (regular military weak)

[DeepModem Mom]

Russia Seeks Safety in Nuclear Arms
No more a superpower, its conventional forces greatly weakened, Moscow increasingly relies on the deterrent power of atomic weapons.

By David Holley, Times Staff Writer


MOSCOW — It was near the end of President Vladimir V. Putin's reelection campaign early this year, and two days of high-profile military exercises highlighting his role as Russia's commander in chief had been marred by failed tests of submarine-launched missiles.

But with a few cryptic words, Putin dispelled the gloom. The exercises, he said at a news conference, confirmed that Russia would soon possess intercontinental nuclear weapons capable of maneuvering in flight to evade antimissile defenses.

"No other country in the world has such weapons systems," Putin said. "It means that Russia has been and will remain one of the biggest nuclear missile powers in the world. Some people may like it and some may not, but everyone will have to reckon with it."...

***

The sad state of its regular military has forced Moscow to place fresh emphasis on nuclear weapons in order to protect its interests in Europe and Asia. Washington is building military bases in some former Soviet republics. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization has expanded eastward into the former Soviet Baltic republics. Washington has continued to develop missile defenses.

The world may now have only one superpower, but the United States and Russia still could destroy each other many times over....


http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-russmil6dec06,0,2134354.story?coll=la-home-headlines

[HawkerHurricane]

1. If I may emphasize...

"But with a few cryptic words, Putin dispelled the gloom. The exercises, he said at a news conference, confirmed that Russia would soon possess intercontinental nuclear weapons capable of maneuvering in flight to evade antimissile defenses."

We can't even get our antimissile systems to work against drones, and Russia's already building countersystems.

[bemildred]

2. And a fine deterrent it is, too. nt