The arms race is on!

According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, anyways.

From Yahoo! News:

In a clear reference to the United States, he harshly criticized "imperialism" in global affairs and warned that Russia will strengthen its military potential to maintain a global strategic balance.

"It wasn't us who initiated a new round of arms race," Putin said when asked about Russia's missile tests this week at a news conference after talks in the Kremlin with Greek President Karolos Papoulias.

Putin described the tests of a new ballistic missile capable of carrying multiple nuclear warheads and a new cruise missile as part of the Russian response to the planned deployment of new U.S. military bases and missile defense sites in ex-Soviet satellites in Central and Eastern Europe.

He assailed the United States and other NATO members for failing to ratify an amended version of the 1990 Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) treaty, which limits the deployment of heavy non-nuclear weapons around the continent.

Putin described the tests of new missiles conducted by Russia on Tuesday as a necessary response to the Western action.

"There is no reason to fear these actions by Russia, they aren't aggressive. It's merely a response to tough and unfounded unilateral actions by our partners," he said. "These actions are aimed at preserving a global balance."

Why is this not bigger news? I'm interested to hear how the Bush administration will handle this.

Cold War, Part 2?

Russia announced it successfully tested a new intercontinental ballistic missile, capable of penetrating through any missile defense systems.

From The Guardian:

The missile tests follow months of anger in Moscow over the Bush administration's determination to install parts of a controversial missile defence shield in eastern Europe.
President Vladimir Putin has been incensed by the Pentagon's plans to site missile interceptors and radar shields in Poland and the Czech Republic. The row has contributed to the worst relations between Russia and the west for 20 years.

But as well as confrontational rhetoric from Mr Putin, Russia has also been preparing a secret military response, analysts said yesterday. They said the new RS-24 missile was capable of:

· carrying multiple independent warheads, making it almost impossible to shoot down

· travelling inter-continentally to hit targets thousands of miles away

· using sophisticated navigation systems which allow the warheads to lock on to different targets

... The treaty between the US and the Soviet Union banning intermediate range nuclear weapons was no longer effective, warned Mr Ivanov, Russia's former defence minister, because it did not apply to Russia's neighbours such as China.

The Bush administration insists its new missile defence system is aimed at rogue missiles fired by Iran or North Korea. But Russia says the system destroys the strategic balance of forces in Europe and is a direct threat to the country's nuclear arsenal.

Interesting development. Are we looking at another Cold War arms race between the United States and Russia? And if so, what presidential candidate do we have that can accomplish was Reagan did in putting a stop to it?

All we can do for right now is watch and wait.