| Medvedev threatens to target US missile shield in Europe if no deal is reached Will Englund Washington Post Wednesday, November 23, 2011 President Dmitry Medvedev said Wednesday that Russia will target the American missile defense system in Europe with its own missiles if Moscow cannot reach an agreement with Washington and NATO on how the system will be built and operated. Medvedev said time hasn't run out for an agreement, but he accused the United States of failing to take into account Russian concerns. His declaration, in a televised address, comes a year after he met with the heads of NATO states in Lisbon and said Russia was willing to consider joining in on missile defense, if it could be included as an equal partner. The American missile defense plan, which dates to the Reagan administration, was revamped two years ago into a proposed system of interceptors based on land and at sea around Europe. The Obama administration argues that this system is designed to protect against Iranian missiles, and it wants Russia's participation. But defense officials in Moscow — which was, after all, the original target during the Cold War — argue that the missiles could easily be turned against Russia. www.washingtonpost.com |
