US-NATO 'Missile Shield' Programme: Index Timeline Update

by Sarah Meyer
Index Research

First published 11 June 2007; Updated to 06.08.07
Then see
US-NATO 'Missile Shield' Programme: Index Timeline Part II

Photo AFP

The United States has blamed Russia for aggression after Putin's comments on the US Missile Shield programme. Mainstream Media have obediently followed the U.S.government line without investigating the background to Russia’s complaint. I am thus publishing a Missile Shield source review from February – early June 2007 in the hopes that a more balanced d reportage will follow. One can see that the U.S. has been vigorously campaigning on behalf of NATO. It was thus astonishing to read, for example, a Guardian story saying that Mr Putin launched an "extraordinary broadside at the west over missile defence response." Not so "extraordinary" if one is aware of the background.

Jazeera reports (8 June), "George Bush ... has thanked Poland for being ready to host the U.S. missile shield and sent a clear signal he would not scrap the plan in the face of an alternative offer from Russia." Bush adds:" "We will negotiate a fair agreement that enhances the security of Poland and the security of the entire continent against rogue regimes."

What financial benefits will countries reap from this 'fair agreement'? No one has explored that subject yet. The time has come for a tangible gesture of reciprocity," said Radowlaw Sikorsky , the former Polish minister of national defense.

The purpose of the Missile Shield program is ‘to protect the free world from missile attacks by rogue states.' The United States unfortunately no longer represents 'the free world' and is the "rogue state."

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MISSILE SHIELD: FEBRUARY 2007

NATO Must Calm Putin Missile Shield Fears, Jung Says
15.02.07. Patrick Donahue. “NATO must do more to allay concerns expressed by Russian President Vladimir Putin over U.S. plans to build a missile-defense shield in Eastern Europe, German Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung said.

Putin on Feb. 10 told policy makers in Munich including U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and North Atlantic Treaty Organization head Jaap de Hoop Scheffer that Russia ``must react'' to the missile shield now being discussed by the U.S., Czech and Polish governments. The shield would ``completely neutralize'' the deterrence threat posed by Russia's own nuclear missiles, meaning ``there will be no more balance of power.''

"It's right for us as members of NATO that we remove those fears,'' Jung told an audience in Berlin late yesterday, adding though that Germany supports the missile shield. Talks with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov had convinced him that Russia's concerns were genuine and that the NATO-Russia Council could do more to improve dialogue, Jung said.


MISSILE SHIELD, MARCH 2007

EU wants US anti-missile defence integrated in NATO
03.03.07. Neurope. German Defence Minister Franz Josef Jung on March 2 said US plans for a European-based anti-missile defence system should become part of a wider NATO framework, a move which could ease current Russia’s security concerns over the initiative.

U.S. open to NATO solution for missile shield
16.03.07. China post. The United States is open to suggestions by some Europeans that a missile shield it plans to deploy in Poland and the Czech Republic be made available to NATO, the top U.S. missile defense official said on Thursday. "What this could do from a NATO context is it could provide the long-range ... protection (sic) of a more extensive NATO missile defense capability, and we would welcome that," U.S. Lieutenant General Henry Obering, director of the Missile Defense Agency, told reporters in Berlin. His comments appeared aimed at reassuring countries such as Germany that have expressed concern the plan could splinter NATO and urged more consultations with Moscow, which sees the shield as an encroachment on its former sphere of influence.

Germany suggests NATO use U.S. missile shield
02.03.07. Reuters / IHT.

Merkel: NATO should defuse missile tension
06.03.07. Gopusa. Merkel made the remarks to the Financial Times Monday after the head of Russia's strategic bomber force said Russian bombers could easily knock out the installations, which the Bush administration is so far planning to build in Poland and Czech Republic.

Russia to Take Military Steps on U.S. Missile Shield (Update1)
15.03.07. J. Brooke, Bloomberg. Russia will take ``military measures'' to counter the U.S. plan to install a missile- defense system in Central Europe and the Caucasus, Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Losyukov said.

US says missile shield complementary to NATO
16.03.07. English People. Seeking to allay European fears over the planned missile shield, Director Henry A. Obering of the US Missile Defense Agency is briefing the German government and parliament in Berlin. The system is needed to counter the threat from Iran's nuclear program, he told reporters, reaffirming that it is not aimed at Moscow.’

Merkel, in Poland, Stresses NATO Missile-Shield Role (Update1)
16.03.07. K. Andrusz, Bloomberg. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, beginning a two-day visit to Poland today, will stress that talks on erecting a U.S. missile-defense shield in Europe should be conducted through NATO (ie. US), a government spokesman said.

EU split on US missile shield sites in Europe
30.03.07. Peninsula Qatar.com.

A New Era Of Nuclear Fear May Loom In Shadown Of Missile Shield
30.03.07. spacewar.com. Media reports from the last few weeks increasingly resemble Hollywood horror movies. The United States is reportedly developing a new-generation hydrogen warhead for its Trident II, (D-5) strategic submarines. (Have there BEEN any UK mainstream media reports on this subject?)

Czech Republic plans to consult NATO, Russia on U.S. missile shield: PM
31.03.07. English people


MISSILE SHIELD, APRIL 2007

Note that the U.S. is busy whipping NATO members into support its missile shield progrmme.


U.S. steps up missile system push in Eastern Europe
04.04.07. P. Spiegel, LA Times. The effort may escalate the issue into an international dispute, depending on Moscow's reaction.

Russia threatening new cold war over missile defence
11.04.07. L. Harding, Guardian. Kremlin accuses US of deception on east European interceptor bases. ‘Russia is preparing its own military response to the US's controversial plans to build a new missile defence system in eastern Europe, according to Kremlin officials, in a move likely to increase fears of a cold war-style arms race.’

Ukraine President Yushchenko rejects US anti-missile system
12.04.07. Raw Story.

Standing up to the west
12.04.07. Guardian Leader. It should come as no surprise that Russia is preparing its own military response to US plans to build a missile defence system in eastern Europe.

U.S. seeks control of Europe through missile shield – Gorbachev
12.04.07. rian.ru. Deployment of U.S. missile-defense bases in Poland and the Czech Republic is an attempt by the U.S. to control Europe, the former Soviet president said Thursday.

Czech minister says U.S. defense system to be linked with NATO
12.04.07. English people. Speaking about the planned stationing of a U.S. radar base in the Czech Republic, Parkanova said "NATO (ie the US) is now concentrating on the development and construction of a defense system against short and medium-range missiles, which is considered correct by the USA as this 'shared responsibility' should be preserved and the systems should be accomplished and reinforced mutually."

Iran atom plan shows need for missile shield: Germany
13.04.07. Reuters / English sabah.

U.S. Missile Defense: Cooperation With NATO and Russia
16.04.07. State Department Reply.
The U.S. plans to design U.S. MD assets in Europe so that they could be complementary to any future NATO ballistic missile defense system.

* The proposed U.S. system in Europe is designed to counter long-range threats and would be able to protect all NATO countries facing a long-range missile threat from the Middle East.

* Some southern European countries do not face long-range threats from Iran given their proximity to the Middle East. For these countries to be protected, they require short- and medium-range missile defense systems.

* NATO has focused its missile defense development efforts on countering shorter range threats. The United States and NATO efforts are complementary and could work together to form a more effective defense for Europe.

* The U.S. will retain command and control of our missile defense system assets in Europe and will be able to link to NATO systems to ensure interoperability with their shorter range systems.

US anti-missile shield could damage European unity
17.04.07. Daily Times. STRASBOURG: A senior member of the Council of Europe on Monday joined the chorus of critics of a decision by two Central European countries to discuss hosting part of a planned US anti-missile shield, warning of risks to European unity.

U.S. seeks to sway NATO and Russia on antimissile plans
18.04.07. IHT.

US Pushes Missile Defense Plan
19.04.07. AP / Truthout. ‘Speaking ahead of talks with Russia and NATO allies, the director of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency said the strategic defense shield was needed to deter Iran and others in the Middle East from developing long range rockets that could threaten Europe or North America.’

US urged to open missile shield plan
20.04.07. The International News / anti-war.com. Nato allies urged the United States on Thursday to ensure its planned anti-missile shield could one day be broadened to cover the whole of Europe but did not commit themselves to joining the project. … Nato has since the mid-1990s been studying creating its own shield against short-range missiles for 2010, and officials said one option was that such a system could ultimately be used to protect areas of southeast Europe—Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania—that the US system will not cover.

NATO, Russia differ in assessments of missile threat- Jaap de Hoop Scheffer
itar-tass.com. Russia is ready to cooperate with the U.S. and NATO in the political, economic and diplomatic areas to prevent the emergence of those hundreds of missiles in the Middle East, Totsky said.

Planned US missile shield gets NATO backing
20.04.07. SE Times. While backing a plan to extend the US missile defence system into Europe, NATO member states agreed on Thursday (April 19th) that the territory of all 26 nations in the bloc must be protected from potential missile threats.

"The unanimous view was that the principle of the indivisibility of security should apply," NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer told reporters following high-level consultations at the Alliance's headquarters in Brussels. "There is a shared desire that any US system should be complementary to any NATO missile defence system." (The NATO system IS the U.S system)

NATO ministers to focus on missile defenses, Afghanistan
25.04.07. AP/IHT. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is expected to lead a new effort to persuade (sic) Russia to soften its opposition to Washington’s missile defense plans when Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov joins the NATO talks.

Missile-Defense Plan No Threat to Russia, Rice Says
26.04.07. M. Landler, NYTimes/anti-war.com.

'Grave concern' as Putin freezes defence pact
27.04.07. Australian News / anti-war.com. ‘In heated NATO talks in Oslo, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned that Russia was to halt its application of the Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) treaty and could even pull out if the allies did not endorse it.

NATO United on missile defence approach
27.04.07. NATO press release.

NATO calls for calm in row with Russia on missile shield
28.04.07. Wilmington Star.


MISSILE SHIELD, MAY 2007

GENERAL

Steve Bell, Guardian

Do the United States and Europe Need a Missile Defense System?
03.05.07. Daniel Fried, Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs, Dept. of State. Testimony Before the House Foreign Affairs Committee Subcommittee on Europe and the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade. ‘The short answer to the question of whether we and our Allies need a missile defense system is an emphatic yes. This answer is based on an assessment of the strategic context we face today, which is radically different than that prevailing during the Cold War. What we face is the possibility that some of the world's most threatening and unstable regimes will develop and deploy lethal nuclear arsenals, and the ballistic missiles to deliver them to Europe and the United States. ‘(Yadda Yadda)

Missile Defense Seen as Dangerous
04.05.07. Ivan Eland, Consortium. President Bush’s plan to deploy missile defenses in Central Europe will reduce U.S. security, not enhance it. Installing radar for tracking incoming missiles in the Czech Republic and anti-missile interceptors in Poland could do more harm than good.

Daniel Fried - Missile Defense Plans for Europe
09.05.07. Scoop. ‘I testified with my friend and colleague John Rood yesterday on missile defense, and we are in the United States and in conversations with Europe just still in a beginning stage of working through this issue with our allies, with the Russians and with the Congress. … our central message is getting through and that is this: missile defense should not be seen in the categories of 25 years ago as a replay of the debate over President Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative. /// Iran … And as Secretary Gates said in Moscow and in Warsaw, we must think 20 to 25 years ahead about other threats that could arise. … Funding … Qs and As.

House Panel Considers Cuts for Missile Defense
10.05.07. T. Shanker, NT Times.

Afghanistan, Kosovo, missile defense on agenda as Bush meets with NATO chief
19.05.07. IHT.

Bush, NATO chief discuss Afghanistan, enlargement
22.05.07. English People. U.S. President George W. Bush discussed Afghanistan, NATO's enlargement and efforts to deploy missile defense shield in Eastern Europe with visiting NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer Crawford, Texas on Monday.

U.S. scraps missile-defense test as target misfires
25.05.07. Reuters.
"The target did not reach sufficient altitude to be deemed a threat, and so the ballistic missile defense system did not engage it, as designed," said Air Force Lt. Gen. Henry Obering, head of the Pentagon's Missile Defense Agency. Read more at Wired: “The failed test underscored the need of the U.S. to install 10 interceptors in Poland and a tracking radar station in the Czech Republic as a defense against potential missile attack from Iran, Lehner said. It showed that any missiles that Iran launched could similarly go astray and land in Europe even if Europe was not Iran's target, he added.

US Missile Defense in Europe to Complement NATO Systems
29.05.07. epicos. NATO Parliamentary Assembly statement. “We needed to move quickly.”

NATO, US: Ballistic Missile Defense and a Display of Unity
Stratfor. NATO is considering building a new ballistic missile defense site in southeastern Europe to protect its exposed flank. The announcement is a huge ... Subscription

Czech Republic

Czech Leader Backs U.S. Missile Defense
25.05.07. NBC/anti-war.com. But Russia rejects Czech cooperation
And

Photo Reuters

Czech demonstrators protest missile shield plans
26.05.07. Reuters


Israel

US to invest $205m in missile defense with ISRAEL
19.05.07. Jerusalem Post.


Japan

U.S. Missile Data Leaked in Japan
22.05.07. Military.com / anti-war.com. Classified information about a U.S.-developed missile defense system was leaked from Japan's navy to students at a naval academy, a news report said Tuesday, as officials investigated security gaps in military information shared between the allies.


Poland

Poland, US begin talks on missile shield
15.05.07. The int. news.

Poles ‘may’ allow Russia to visit missile site
25.05.07. Reuters/anti-war.com


Russia

Russia to respond to threats from US system: military
08.05.07. nation multimedia. "If we see that these installations, which could be set up in Europe, represent a threat, then we will definitely plan actions against them," Yury Baluyevsky told reporters in Moscow, Interfax news agency reported.

U.S. says Russia can't alter missile shield plan
09.05.07. Reuters. Washington has enraged Russia and unsettled some European allies with a plan to deploy 10 missile interceptors in Poland and radar in the Czech Republic which it says would help shield Europe from possible missile attack by nations such as Iran.

Putin likens U.S. foreign policy to that of Third Reich
09.05.07. IHT / ICH. ‘The comments marked the latest in a series of sharply worded Russian criticisms of the foreign policy of the Untied States - on Iraq, missile defense, NATO expansion and, broadly, the accusation that the United States has striven to single-handedly dominate world affairs.’

Russians reject US missile shield
10.05.07. Angus Reid Global monitor. Poll.

U.S., German ministers to meet Putin amid strains
14.05.07. Reuters/anti-war.com

Rice: Russia rift not a new Cold War
15.05.07. USA Today

Bush Tries to Reassure Putin on Missile Shield Plan
22.05.07. Washington Times / anti-war.com.

Missile shield tension brings Putin to US
31.05.07. A. Blomfield, Telegraph.


MISSILE SHIELD, JUNE 2007

US 'imperialism' means new arms race – Putin
01.06.07. Yahoo, Stuff.co.nz/ICH. Putin said Russia's tests on Tuesday of two new missiles were a direct response to US moves to create a missile defence system in Europe. … "There is a clear desire by some international players to dictate their will to everyone without adhering to international law," Putin said. "International law has been replaced by political reasons."

"In our opinion it is nothing different from diktat, nothing different from imperialism," he added. See also AP story here.

Putin’s Censored Press Conference
10.06.07. Mike Whitney, ICH. The transcript you weren’t supposed to see

(NB: This article arrived in postbox just following publication of Index Research Missile Shield blog:)

First Strike against Russia: The Real Danger behind US ABM Deployment in Eastern Europe
11.06.07. Chimes of Freedom, Global Research. ‘Recent disinformation by the western media about Russia starting a new Cold War not only masks the threat of a US Anti-Ballistic Missile shield deployment but, as always, projects the blame on the victim, Russia.’

Current Concerns (Issue No 9, June 2007) is devoted to ‘Missile Shield’. Following are articles which can be read soon on line:

Dr. Heinz Loquai (retired Brig. Gen., Mechenheim: German Media, Russia and the “Anti Missile Shield – PR and Politics

Johan Galtung, text of speech in Oslo 25.04.07: “Nato – you re not welcome!”

Karl Muller: Russia, Europe, Germany and the USA

Dr. Erhard Eppler: There is the Smell of Rotten Oranges … a Result of Ideological Self-conceit. ‘There are no convincing arguments in favour of a US missile defense shield.’

Sergei Lawrow, Europe at the Crossroads.

Silvia Cattori (interview excerpt) Returning to the Worst Days of the Cold War

NEW UPDATES

In addition to the above, there is an excerpt from an important new book by Helen Caldicot:
War in Heaven: Stopping the Arms Race in Outer Space
12.06.07. Alternet. Helen Caldicott, Craig Eisendrath, The New Press. A new book reveals Bush's revamped national space policy. It lays the basis for a radical change of U.S. policy toward outer space -- the deployment of weapons.

HISTORY AND PRESENT MISSILE SHIELD PROGRAM STORY
Nemesis: The Last Days of the American Republic
by Chalmers Johnson, Metropolitan Books, 2007, Chapter 6: 'Space: the Ultimatge Imperialist Project', pp. 208 - 242.

REPORT

Proposed U.S. Missile Defense Assets in Europe
15.06.07. Missile Defense Agency


“Sea-Based Ballistic Missile Defense -- Background and Issues for Congress,"
CRS Report updated 26.06.07. fas.org.

ARTICLES

Russian President Putin’s Interview with G8 Newspaper Journalists
09.06.07. ICH. President Vladimir Putin Fields Questions from G8 Member Countries' Newspaper Journalists

Putin's Censored Press Conference
10.06.07. Mike Whitney, word press. On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin gave an hour and a half-long press conference which was attended by many members of the world media. The contents of that meeting—in which Putin answered all questions concerning nuclear proliferation, human rights, Kosovo, democracy and the present confrontation with the United States over missile defense in Europe—have been completely censored by the press. Apart from one brief excerpt which appeared in a Washington Post editorial, (and which was used to criticize Putin) the press conference has been scrubbed from the public record. It never happened. (Read the entire press conference)

Russian President Putin Interviewed by Journalists from G8 Countries
11.06.07. Global Research. Text of report (English) published by the Russian presidential website, 4 June 2007.

US missile shield gains Nato backing
15.06.07. The Int. News. 'The assessment is to be completed by February 2008 ahead of a Nato summit in Bucharest to inform allied deliberations on fielding a theatre missile defence system that could be “bolted on” to the US system, Nato officials said.' (erm, the US is already 'bolted on' to NATO)

Australia
Only the United States Spends More Per Person on "Defence' than Australia
23.06.07. The Orstrahyun. Australia's Massive Plan to Become a World Military Power. 'the Howard government has just set aside an extraordinary $22billion, or more, to spend on defence through 2008.'

Czech Republic
Czech Towns Reject US Missile
24.06.07. alalam.ir.

NATO backs U.S. missile plan on eve of Russia talks
25.06.07. Reuters

Poland
Poland expects U.S. missile shield by October
27.06.07. Reuters.

Brussels Gossip
06.07. Nicolas, live journal. "I wasn't there myself, so this may be a vicious rumour, but apparently there was a session earlier today at the European Paliament on the propossed missile defence shield, where a presenter from the US Dept. of Defense, trying to convince an audience of sceptical MEPs, screwed up the PowerPoint presentation by repeatedly skipping to the wrong slide. ... This is one subject where you really don't want people to start wondering what happens if someone in the Pentagon accidentally pushes the wrong button!"

Russians test ballistic missile
28.06.07. BBC. Russian President Vladimir Putin has described the missile as a key component of Moscow's future nuclear forces, saying it can penetrate any prospective missile defence system.

European law makers unconvinced over necessity of US missile shield
29.06.07. irna.ir.

US missile shield a waste of money: Clinton
30.06.07. ABC.

Bush looks to his father to mend relations with Putin
30.06.07. R. Cornwell, Independent. The White House confirmed yesterday that the 41st president will be at the house while his son entertains Mr Putin. Although he will not take part in the official talks, the elder Bush is bound to be involved informally as the two leaders address the host of grievances that divide them. These range from the planned US missile defence system in eastern Europe to the independence of Kosovo - both fiercely opposed by the Kremlin.

JULY 2007

REPORT

Long-Range Ballistic Missile Defense in Europe
25.07.07. CRS Report


Putin Tries Anew to Stop Missile Shield
02.07.07. AP, Forbes. Neither President Bush nor his aides reacted definitively to the surprise idea, Putin's second in less than a month on the topic that has sent U.S.-Russian relations into a tailspin.

Missiles threat
05.07.07. Bahrain Daily News. Russia issued a veiled threat yesterday to deploy rockets in its Kaliningrad region bordering the European Union if the US built a missile defence shield in central Europe.

Poland / Boeing
UPDATE 1-Boeing would build missile shield-Poland
05.07.07. Reuters. ... for around $600 million if Warsaw agrees with Washington to place it on its territory, Poland's negotiator on the shield said on Thursday.

Senate Panel Faults Missile Defense Plan
05.07.07. W. PIncus, Washington Post. Location in Eastern Europe Is Criticized

Japan 'must boost missile shield'
06.07.07. BBC.

Russia suspends arms control pact
14.07.07. BBC. Mr Putin signed a decree citing "exceptional circumstances" affecting security as the reason for the move. Russia has been angered by US plans to base parts of a missile defence system in Poland and the Czech Republic.

No defence against missiles
16.07.07. Guardian leader. The current fad of tearing up vital arms-control agreements was started by America when it abrogated the anti-ballistic missile treaty in order to build its missile shield. Russia followed suit on Saturday by announcing that it would suspend its obligations under the conventional forces in Europe (CFE) treaty.

Bush Defends Missile Defense Shield
16.07.07. Guardian. President Bush and Polish President Lech Kaczynski on Monday defended plans for a missile defense shield fiercely opposed by Russia. At a meeting in the Oval Office, Bush called the missile-defense plan a ``symbol of our desire to work for peace and security [sic}.''

Poland says U.S. shield a "foregone conclusion"
16.07.07. Reuters. But a poll shows Poles against missile shield plan .

Framing the Russians
20.07.07. J. Raimondo, antiwar.com. Latest Anglo-Russian spat is all about targeting Putin.

SHAME ON GORDON BROWN! North Yorkshire base to host U.S. missile shield 25.07.07. Mirror. Britain will allow the United States to use an air force base in Northern England as part of its upgraded missile defense shield, its defence minister said on Wednesday, saying the move would be good (sic) for England . {another source said Menwith Hill would be the base]. The Big Question: Why has the US base at Menwith Hill created such a political storm? 03.08.07. Ben Russell, Independent. Labour MPs demanded a full debate yesterday on Britain's involvement in the controversial US national missile defence system. They are furious that the decision slipped out just days before MPs left Westminster for the summer, with no prospect of Parliament being given a say. In the dying days of the parliamentary session last week, Des Browne, the Secretary of State for Defence, confirmed that the US listening base at RAF Menwith Hill, in north Yorkshire, would be upgraded to provide early warning of missile attack that would be fed into the planned US national missile defence system. The statement was one of more than 30 government announcements that day. The UK radar base at RAF Fylingdales has already been upgraded, and Mr Browne announced that it too would feed data to the national missile defence system. 54 per cent of people believe that siting missiles and early warning bases in the UK, Poland and the Czech Republic increases the security threat facing the nation. MPs must debate US missile defence 03.08.07. Letter to Guardian signed by Colin Burgon MP, Martin Caton MP, Mick Clapham MP, Frank Cook MP, Jeremy Corbyn MP, Jim Devine MP, Paul Flynn MP, Neil Gerrard MP, Ian Gibson MP, Fabian Hamilton MP, Mike Hancock MP, Nick Harvey MP, Brian Iddon MP, Lynne Jones MP, Peter Kilfoyle MP, John Leech MP, Michael Meacher MP, John McDonnell MP, Linda Riordan MP, Angus Robertson MP, Clare Short MP, Jon Trickett MP, Phil Willis MP

Boeing gets missile shield contract in Poland
27.07.07. pb.pl. On July 5th, at the Parliament, Witold Waszczykowski, the deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs said that if Poland and the USA agree to build the missile shield, Boeing will build a base in Poland worth USD 600m. On July 16th, minister Waszczykowski told a Russian daily “Noviye Izviestia” that construction works could start in February 2008.

Gorbachev joins debate on U.S. anti-missile shield in Europe
27.07.07. Russia Today. The first President of the USSR has stepped into the debate on Russia-U.S relations. Mikhail Gorbachev says the most crucial and controversial question of the U.S. anti-missile defence programme is the target of the project.

AUGUST 2007

Lavrov says U.S. failed to justify Europe missile shield -1
01.08.07. Rian.ru.

Public opposition to U.S. missile defense plans deserves respect: Czech president
04.08.07. Englishpeople.com.

Russia Plans ICBM to Counter US Missile Shield
06.08.07. Spiegel/ICH. The Russian navy plans on producing a new submarine-based missile system in 2008. It is part of a big increase in the country's spending on research, development and procurement of weaponry, prompting fears of a new cold war.

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Sarah Meyer is a researcher living in the UK

Other Index articles on NATO

NATO: The Bathtub of Unreadiness (Updated 12/01/07)

Afghanistan : NATO is now US-ATO

NATO: FOR THE LOVE OF EMPIRE, the preface to Index on Afghanistan: May 2007: Part II - NATO; Human Rights. (05.06.07).

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The url to US-NATO 'Missile Shield' Programme: Index Timeline is: http://indexresearch.blogspot.com/2007/06/us-nato-missile-shield-programme-index.html

The smaller url is: http://tinyurl.com/26qqnv

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Tags : Index Research, NATO, Missile Shield, U.S., Russia, Putin, Germany, Czech Republic, Israel, Japan, Poland,