Missile defense is the hallmark of modern military seriousness-Angelo Codevilla

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4/14/15, "Angelo Codevilla: Russia’s S-300 sale exposes America’s lag in missile defense," Angelo Codevilla, Asia Times

"In my view, the S-300 has significance far beyond Ukraine and political maneuvering. In short, it should remind us of something that the US government has officially pushed to the very back of our national consciousness, namely:

Ballistic missiles are the queens of the modern battlefield, and missile defense is the key to dealing with them. Missile defense is the hallmark of modern military seriousness. The Soviet Union/Russia have taken the lead in providing the best available missile defense for themselves and for those who stand with them.

We do not know which version the S-300 will go to Iran. But the Iranians know why they want the system: they are in the process of building the capacity to strike or threaten with missiles, and expect to be targeted with missiles. Hence they are likely to want the version that offers them missile defense. They may get aircraft- optimized versions AND missile -optimized versions. How good even the best s-300 is for anti missile purposes depends on how remote the external radar cueing is, and how well the link functions. In Russia, an excellent perimeter radar network makes the latest S-300 a very potent weapon. What it will be in Iran is yet to be determined. What is beyond doubt, however, is Iran’s seriousness about missile warfare. They are doing what they can do to rise to military seriousness. The S-300’s later versions, even without external cueing, will be very good against anything coming from the Sunni world. Israel relies on aircraft.
What is also beyond doubt is the US government’s lack of seriousness about missile warfare. Our missile defense problems are set by the fact hat the US, being remote from sources of attack, can be hit only by the fastest warheads. But that is another subject."

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US interference in Ukraine was always going to have consequences:

4/14/15, "Spengler to Bhadrakumar: Russia’s missile sale to Iran is retaliation for Ukraine," David P. Goldman (Spengler), Asia Times
 
"I repeated the warning in 2008: “If Washington chooses to demonize Russia, the likelihood is that Russia will become a spoiler with respect to American strategic interests in general, and use the Iranian problem to twist America’s tail. That is a serious risk indeed, for nuclear proliferation is the one means by which outlaw regimes can pose a serious threat to great powers.” And I repeated the warning on numerous occasions through 2015. The American State Department is a patzer in chess argot, a beginner who can’t think two moves ahead. It never seems to have occurred to Washington that its embrace (if not its sponsorship) of the Maidan Revolution in Ukraine would prompt counter-moves by Moscow, including a new rapprochement with China and the “Russian-Iranian axis” that Bhadrakumar projects. Some American officials, for example Assistant Secretary of State Victoria  Nuland (of “f*** the Europeans” fame), actually believed that Maidan would be repeated in Red Square."...
 
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Comment: The left has wanted to destroy Israel for many years. The left has no opposition in the US, so it can do whatever it wants. Even so-called right wing talk show hosts have cleared a path for the left.




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