U.S. readying military, economic options to Russian missile treaty violation

Marine Corps Times — Fri, 12 Dec 2014 09:46:39 -0500

From: Marine Corps Times

Pentagon and State Department officials are reviewing what military and economic options they can employ if Russia continues development of a cruise missile it has tested in violation of a cornerstone nuclear weapons treaty between Washington and Moscow, senior U.S. officials say.

"Russia's lack of meaningful engagement on this issue — if it persists — will ultimately require the United States to take actions to protect its interests and security along with those of its allies and partners," Brian McKeon, principal deputy undersecretary of defense for policy told the House Armed Services Committee's subcommittee on strategic forces on Wednesday.

In July, the United States went public with its concerns that Russia violated the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) by testing a prohibited ground-launched cruise missile.

The document — signed in 1987 — bans American and Russian ground-launched ballistic or cruise missiles capable of flying between 300 miles and 3,400 miles.

But American officials said the Russians tested a new medium-range, ground-launched cruise missile as early as 2008, and Russian officials have been unresponsive to attempts at dialogue by U.S. officials, most resently at a series of talks in September.

Rose Gottemoeller, undersecretary of state for arms control and international security, told the House panel that Russia was also not in compliance with the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe, and U.S. officials are concerned that Moscow is also violating other arms treaties.

Since Russia has refused to acknowledge its INF treaty violation, Gottemoeller said that "we are reviewing a series of diplomatic, economic and military measures to protect the interests of the United States and our allies and encourage Russia to uphold its nuclear arms control commitments."

Echoing McKeon comments about plans being made at the Pentagon, Gottemoeller added that Washington is "assessing options in the military sphere to ensure that Russia would not gain a significant military advantage from its violation of the INF Treaty."

McKeon said the U.S. could deploy active defenses to counter cruise missiles and beef up U.S. and allied forces in Europe and Asia.

"We do not want to find ourselves engaged in an escalatory cycle of action and reaction," he insisted, adding that Russian action and U.S. and NATO counter-actions "will make Russia less secure ... . This violation will not go unanswered, because there is too much at stake."

http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/story/military/capitol-hill/2014/12/11/us-readying-military-economic-response-russian-missile-treaty-violation/20254965//

Response by 1SG Michael Blount made Dec 12 at 2014 9:47 AM

1SG Michael Blount — Fri, 12 Dec 2014 09:47:24 -0500

Don't be so eager to pull the trigger just yet. Russian economy is showing every sign of crisis, with its currency trading at an all-time low, oil prices on a 5-year low and all this on top of economic sanctions. These people are their own worst enemy.

Response by CPT Chris Loomis made Dec 12 at 2014 11:25 AM

CPT Chris Loomis — Fri, 12 Dec 2014 11:25:37 -0500

There have been multiple things that Russia has done in the last several months that lead me to believe that we are headed back to the "Cold War."

Response by SrA Andrea West made Dec 12 at 2014 11:31 AM

SrA Andrea West — Fri, 12 Dec 2014 11:31:56 -0500

Might go find my old Russian FLAMRIC course...

Response by SPC Steven Depuy made Dec 12 at 2014 11:59 AM

SPC Steven Depuy — Fri, 12 Dec 2014 11:59:14 -0500

I hope I am wrong, but it seems to me we have kind of flipped positions from the 80's. I seriously doubt if they really care what we think or do. I don't think their leadership has any respect or fear of our leadership at this point.

Response by SGT Charles Vernier made Dec 12 at 2014 12:21 PM

SGT Charles Vernier — Fri, 12 Dec 2014 12:21:53 -0500

I would agree that Putin and the Russian government could care less about what we think. Putin is pushing Russia into a state of economic crisis and he will most likely further incite the Russian people against the west, because we will impose sanction just in time for him to play the blame game.

Response by MSgt Keith Hebert made Dec 12 at 2014 1:44 PM

MSgt Keith Hebert — Fri, 12 Dec 2014 13:44:02 -0500

this president will do anything all hot air

Response by SPC John Decker made Dec 12 at 2014 4:28 PM

SPC John Decker — Fri, 12 Dec 2014 16:28:43 -0500

When these treaties were negotiated, did not the signers build in repercussions if one of them violated the terms of the treaties? If penalties were not built in, where was the incentive to follow the treaties at all?

Response by CPO Greg Frazho made Dec 12 at 2014 4:44 PM

CPO Greg Frazho — Fri, 12 Dec 2014 16:44:29 -0500

I'm sure Putin's quaking in his boots.

Response by 1SG Eric Rice made Dec 13 at 2014 6:24 AM

1SG Eric Rice — Sat, 13 Dec 2014 06:24:15 -0500

Even though the "Cold War" ended officially in December, 1991 there has always been tension between our countries. The sad part is that it isn't between the people it has always been the ideological differences of the ruling class who essentially mislead the people to think that each side is evil. The course of action must be chosen carefully as this is and always has been a slippery slope.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 13 at 2014 12:36 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 13 Dec 2014 12:36:27 -0500

So the Russians are breaking a treaty.
Weird.
That is news.

I am sure economic sanctions will result in a complete reversal of their policy. It worked so well with Crimea.

If you want to break the Russians economically, let OPEC keep oil artificially low for a year or two. The Russians will be crying in their borsct. Just be prepared that they might just try a military solution. Not to mention the little-reported fact that there is a boatload of recently-discovered offshore oil in the Black Sea off the coast of (you guessed it) the Crimean Peninsula.