Putin continues incoherence on missile defense

Washington Post:

U.S.-Russian talks on key security issues got off to a rocky start Friday morning, when President Vladimir Putin greeted top American officials with a pointed critique of their plans for a missile defense system in Eastern Europe.

"Of course, we can sometime in the future decide that some anti-missile defense system should be established somewhere on the moon," Putin said through a translator. "But before we reach such arrangements, we will lose the opportunity for fixing some particular arrangements between us."

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates sat impassively through the monologue for about eight minutes, with Rice in particular looking annoyed. The two Americans arrived at Putin's dacha in the suburbs near the Russian capital around 10:30 a.m. local time, but were kept waiting more than half an hour before they were ushered into one of the Russian president's meeting rooms.

Putin's theatrics appeared aimed at keeping the Americans off-balance as the two sides began talks over several thorny arms control problems, including the U.S. plan to put a radar system in the Czech Republic and 10 interceptors in Poland.

Bush administration officials have described the effort as a safeguard against Iran acquiring nuclear weapons. But the Russians say they see the system as one that could be used to erode their own nuclear deterrence.

The Russian president also seemed angry about the symbolism of placing a missile defense system in the heart of the former Soviet empire. "We hope that in the process of such complex and multi-faceted talks, you will not be forcing forward your relations with the East European countries," he said in remarks witnessed by a small number of reporters before he and the Americans and his Russian aides closed the doors for private discussions.

Rice responded to Putin's somewhat heated comments by trying to lower the temperature. "Even though there are differences, we would try to overcome them," she said. "Because that which unites us in trying to deal with the threats of terrorism, of proliferation are much greater than the issues that divide us."

When it was his turn to speak, Gates raised the specter of a threat facing Russia and the United States from Tehran. "We have an ambitious agenda of security issues that concern both of us, including, as you suggest, development of missile systems by others in the neighborhood -- I would say in particular, Iran," he said.

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Putin is yet to articulate a rational argument against a defensive system that effects Russian "deterrence" not at all. He can show no harm from such a system. It does not even deter him from being a bully with the Europeans. It does make an Iranian threat which might lead to a nuclear war less likely and he cannot even explain why that is not desirable. There must be some visceral feeling rather than rational thought behind this opposition. Perhaps he sees some benefit in having an Iranian threat, but it could threaten him too.

Rice also described the Iranians as liars when it comes to their nuke program. there is significant evidence of this deceit which Putin is willingly ignoring.