Anonymously contributed:
Russian military chief warns of nuclear war risks
By Vladimir Isachenkov - Associated Press
November 17, 2011
MOSCOW (AP) — Russia is facing a heightened risk of being drawn into conflicts at its borders that have the potential of turning nuclear, the nation's top military officer said Thursday.
Gen. Nikolai Makarov, chief of the General Staff of the Russian armed forces, cautioned over NATO's expansion eastward and warned that the risks of Russia being pulled into local conflicts have "risen sharply." Makarov added, according to Russian news agencies, that "under certain conditions local and regional conflicts may develop into a full-scale war involving nuclear weapons."
A steady decline in Russia's conventional forces has prompted the Kremlin to rely increasingly on its nuclear deterrent. The nation's military doctrine says it may use nuclear weapons to counter a nuclear attack on Russia or an ally, or a large-scale conventional attack that threatens Russia's existence.
Russia sees NATO's expansion to include former Soviet republics and ex-members of the Soviet bloc in eastern and central Europe as a key threat to Russia's security. Makarov specifically referred to NATO's plans to offer membership to Georgia and Ukraine as potentially threatening Russia's security. Russia routed Georgian forces in a brief August 2008 war over a separatist province of South Ossetia. Moscow later recognized South Ossettia and another breakaway Georgian province of Abkhazia as independent states and increased its military presence there.
Makarov warned that the planned pullout of NATO forces from Afghanistan could trigger conflicts in neighboring ex-Soviet Central Asian nations that could "grow into a large-scale war."
In its military doctrine, Russia has also described U.S. missile defense plans as another major security challenge, saying it could threaten its nuclear forces and undermine their deterrence potential. Moscow has agreed to consider NATO's proposal last fall to cooperate on the missile shield, but the talks have been deadlocked over how the system should operate. Russia has insisted that the system should be run jointly, which NATO has rejected.
Makarov also said Russia is struggling to get enough recruits for the 1-million military, as the number of draftees has shrunk dramatically because of demographical changes. He said that the military is aiming to gradually increase the number of contract soldiers and eventually form an all-volunteer army. He didn't mention a specific time frame. The statement marked a sharp change of course for the top military brass who previously insisted that Russia needs to maintain the highly unpopular draft because an all-volunteer military would be too costly.
7 comments:
Fear not citizens of the United States! We have Captain Bret Knapp at the helm of U.S. nuclear weapon program. A second rate mechanical engineer from a second rate state college who thinks a hydrodynamic test is surf board demonstration.
Russia has nothing to worry about. We have the met enemy and they are ourselves (i.e. LANS/LLNS/NNSA).
Knapp could care less what the purpose of a hydro test is. All he knows is that a FAT bonus arrives in his bank account every time one is fired.
We have the met enemy and they are ourselves (i.e. LANS/LLNS/NNSA).
November 20, 2011 5:31 AM
You have missed the whole point of the saying. "... are us." not "... are ourselves." It is supposed to sound like "...are ours." Originated by the author of the comic strip "Pogo" decades ago. But I suppose it is too much to expect people these days to understand the origins and meanings of our language and colloquial sayings.
"Originated by the author of the comic strip "Pogo" decades ago."
It was never about the environment but it was a statement about Christians. It has been said many times before in different ways. You need to understand Foucault first. But I suppose it is too much to expect faux intellectuals these days to understand philosophy or history.
So that you are not too confused.
"faux - not genuine or real; being an imitation of the genuine article; "it isn't fake anything; it's real synthetic fur"; "faux pearls"; "false teeth"; "decorated with imitation palm leaves"; "a purse of simulated alligator hide""
Ok it is French from a place called, "France" and yes there are other countries besides Alabama.
Foucault may not be among the great Intellectuals like Dale Earnhardt, however, he and Derrida did say some interesting things about language that you should read before you "expect" people to understand "meaning".
November 20, 2011 11:17 PM
Thank you Professor. Not too full of yourself, are you?
Sad to think that all the Cold War leaders at Los Alamos Scientific Lab (LASL) and Lawrence Radiation Lab (LRL) worked to protect their freedom from the threat of Communism, which has transitioned to LANS/LLNS profit seeking companies protecting their bonuses and sports cars from the threat of not meeting Performance-based Initiatives (PBIs).
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