We've been through this before. You may wish to reconsider your framing of the issue.
U.S. intelligence showing Iran likely would have the capability to attack Europe with "scores or even hundreds" of missiles factored into the Obama administration's decision to overhaul missile defenses, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Thursday.And, oh, I like this bit. It's so all about
"Our missile defenses do not have the capability to defend against the Russian Federation's large, advanced arsenal. Consequently, U.S. missile defenses do not and will not affect Russia's strategic deterrent," Gates said."The Russians know that our missile defenses are designed to intercept a limited number of ballistic missiles launched by a country such as Iran or North Korea," he said. The Obama administration has held out the possibility that Moscow could take part in the missile defense system in partnership with the United States. But Gates said: "There is no meeting of the minds on missile defense. The Russians hate it. They've hated it since the late 1960s. They will always hate it, mostly because we'll build it and they won't." U.S. intelligence agencies have long warned about Iran's growing missile threat and officials say anti-ballistic missile systems should cover all of Europe by 2018
No mention of WHY Iran would ever want to shower Europe in missiles. I mean, the continent with the most advanced array of armed forces the world has every seen, bound together by an ever expanding collective defence pact, with three nuclear-armed members, including the United States, provides Iran with a big fat disincentive to attack it. Even if geopolitical conditions unforseeably mangled themselves to the degree that this was actually a credible prospect.
OK, so Iran has just be slapped with another round of sanctions. Big deal. It still doesn't give it incentive to attack anyone. See above. I mean it would make a little bit of sense to ring Israel in ballistic missile defence gizmos given the prospect of a shooting war there, but Europe?
On the other hand, Gates oddly uses the canard of Iranian missile flocks used to segue into a discussion of how pissed off the Russians are. But no need to worry he says, the Russians have been pissed for years. Nothing to see here, move along. Same as always. Nevermind Russia, controls oil and gas, does not like NATO expansion into its former sattelites (thinks it a tad threatening), US influence receding on that continent and everywhere else...but no, nothing to ponder there.
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Maybe someday we'll finally lose the old white very serious men, retire those uber-realists from the Cold War to nursing homes, and find some people who are finally willing to bin the Risk board.
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