Within several days since the deployment of Patriot ballistic missile defense or BMD system that took place on 26 May in Morag, Northern Poland, about 60 km from Kaliningrad region, Russian enclave in the Baltic Sea area, Moscow has gradually changed its stance on the respective U.S.-Polish deal: from initially cautious to a much stronger reaction.
From the very outset the arrangement was labeled as undesirable one. Russians did not understand the logic and sense of cooperation between the U.S. and Poland in the BMD sphere. They do not see any military and political reason that would justify the deployment of Patriot missiles on the Polish soil.
Russian press expressed the same negative mood. It has characterized the arrangement as «unfriendly and provocative» and predicted that it might undermine «a fragile equilibrium» existing between Russia and the USA in strategic offensive and defensive arms. Some national broadsheets cast doubts over the viability of «resetting» policy heralded by the current U.S. Administration. They questioned the expediency of an idea advocated by NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen who proposed «a joint NATO-Russian BMD roof» stretching from Vancouver to Vladivostok. It will be difficult for Russians to take part in implementing this idea that is aimed against its national defense values.
My fellow-countrymen are especially concerned over a possibility that these interceptors are to be used against tactical ballistic missiles and enhanced at a later stage by four other types of missile defense gadgets capable to intercept and to destroy intercontinental strategic nuclear ballistic missiles. True: when fielded in conjunction with more effective BMD system, the current Patriots will provide a robust capacity against the entire fleet of ballistic vehicles, especially, if their number in Poland will reach 200 interceptors or more, while Russia will further reduce its strategic offensive arms through bilateral arrangements with the USA.
The Kremlin has never complained about the deployment of U.S. Patriots all over the world, e.g. in Germany, the Netherlands, Greece, Spain, Japan, Israel, etc. But in case with Morag it is different story: the missiles are too close to Russian borders. Therefore, the U.S.-Polish Patriot contract runs counter to the NATO-Russia Founding Act which says that all sides must refrain from stationing permanent military bases in border regions of each other. Just in case: Russian leaders have repeatedly stated that Moscow would never create its national BMD network on a global scale, outside its territory. The silver lining is that being unhappy over the Morag case, the Kremlin, at the same time, has no intention to shut the door leading to a constructive dialogue with Washington on limiting the missile defense shields. Making a short comment on the BMD issue in general terms, President Dmitry Medvedev recently expressed hope that the Barack Obama’s Administration would approach it at the end of the day «with greater creativity, and with greater sense of partnership». Noteworthy, he avoided tough words and phrases. Really, it would be a highly welcomed scenario, if the White House reconsiders its decision on «reconfiguring» its missile defense in Europe.
So, to field missile defense systems exclusively within national borders or, at least, at high seas, on board the missile defense ships is the most favorable scenario. It, by the way, will prevent making the current century as «an age of the BMD arms race», involving
