Truthdig - Ear to the Ground - Mutually Assured Defense Spending

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Mutually Assured Defense Spending

foreignpolicy.com

Russian tanks paraded through Red Square last year for the first time since 1990.

A hawkish speech by President Dmitry Medvedev may signal a massive overhaul and escalation of the Russian military. Fears of a growing threat posed by NATO have pushed Russian officials to plan a modernization of the country’s conventional and nuclear forces by 2011.

The Guardian:

Russia plans to boost both conventional armed forces and nuclear forces to counter a growing threat from Nato, President Dmitry Medvedev said [Tuesday], raising the spectre of a military confrontation between Moscow and the west.

In a hawkish speech to Russia’s top generals, Medvedev said Russia intended to upgrade the army and navy from 2011. Strategic nuclear forces would also be overhauled in an effort to guarantee the country’s security.

Modernisation was necessary because of the danger posed by the transatlantic military alliance. “Attempts to expand the military infrastructure of Nato near the borders of our country are continuing,” Medvedev said. “The primary task is to increase the combat readiness of our forces. They must be able to [fulfill] all the necessary tasks to ensure Russia’s security.”

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TAGS: armed forces cold war defense spending mad military military industrial complex nato russia

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By daga, March 19 at 3:00 am #

What the ¤#%&&#&# is happening to this site ?
It used to have quality, now it fills the cyberspace with garbage.
There is nothing “hawkish” about the long overdue russian overhaul of the military.

What would be the adequate russian response to:

* NATO expansion in Eastern Europe
* US planned missile defence system (The Czech Republic and Poland)
* US sponsored “color-revolutions” in the east
* US connivance with Georgia in last years conflict ?

Add to those the fact that US is spending 10 times more on defence and you can take your“mutuality” and stuff it up your a** or in your opium pipe—whatever you prefer.

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By tommy_slothrop, March 18 at 8:37 pm #

mike,
Russia isn’t forcing us to do anything. This is purely defensive on their part. They are no threat to us—only to our alleged “interests” in their neighborhood. If the U.S. military limited itself to defending the country we could safely ignore what Russia is doing.

What has happened is that our military-industrial complex has succeeded in its attempt to empower its Russian counterpart through repeated provocation. Now that the Russian military-industrial complex has an excuse to demand funds from Russian taxpayers ours can demand the same of us.

If one or the other is bankrupted I say HALLELUIA!

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By mike, March 18 at 6:29 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Seems to me that the Russians are playing the same trick that the US pulled on the Soviet Union during the 80s: force your opponent into a military buildup that it can’t afford in order to destroy their economy and bring down their regime. I bet it works too.

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By tommy_slothrop, March 18 at 2:28 pm #

“Mutual Assured Defense Spending” also known as a protection racket. It’s as old as the hills. Our investment in post-Soviet NATO pays off. “Job creation” at its transparent best.

It’s good to know that there are some things you can count on: this bunch of demented perverts gets to take money from our paychecks and use it to kill people in other countries so that they respond a in kind and said demented perverts have an excuse to take more money from our paychecks and use it to kill more people ...

‘Scuse me while I bang my head on my desk.

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