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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsUS Missile Shield No Threat to Russia - Deputy PM
LONDON, April 16 (RIA Novosti) - Russias strategic forces are capable of penetrating the US missile shield and it poses no military threat to the country, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said on Tuesday.
We have solved the issue of penetrating the missile shield. We regret that the United States waste their money on missile defense and compel us to do the same. The missile shield is nothing for us, its a bluff. It poses no military threat, but remains a political and economic problem, Rogozin said during his speech at the Russian embassy in London.
He said that most of Russias criticism is caused by the fact that the planned missile shield is provocative and excessive by nature and thus forces other countries to boost their strategic defenses.
The deputy prime minister, who oversees Russias defense industry, said that Russia was compelled to search for a wise and asymmetric response.
We are carrying out a rearmament program until 2020, it would enable us to renew the hundred percent of our strategic forces. It will be done within the framework of international commitments, the vice premier said.
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http://en.rian.ru/world/20130416/180661245/US-Missile-Shield-No-Threat-to-Russia---Deputy-PM.html
dipsydoodle
(42,239 posts)It was provocative.
iemitsu
(3,888 posts)It sounds just like a Cold War, Psy-Ops bluff but it could be true.
One might ask, how can Russia afford to retool its arms stash when we can't even afford to feed grandma?
Or, have we been fighting a war of attrition against ourselves?
dipsydoodle
(42,239 posts)Never has been and may never be.
iemitsu
(3,888 posts)dipsydoodle
(42,239 posts)and taxation on the companies now run by the really big boys. As a Communist state would you have expected otherwise ? Cuba doesn't rely on the taxation of its citizens either but that will progressively change now that more private enterprise is allowed and those running those outfits will now need to become familiar with the strange concept of paying tax.
There's no point in attempting to draw any comparisons with US as none exist.
iemitsu
(3,888 posts)with a market economy. They underwent privatization during the 1990s and experienced some difficult times during the transition. In Russia, "... tax on the income of individuals is payable at the rate of 13% on most incomes.[136]" from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia#Russian_Federation
Evidently Russia's economy is doing fine today. I guess that's why they can plan to modernize their arsenal.
dipsydoodle
(42,239 posts)Brain wasn't in gear. I know they use a flat rate for income tax but by the standards we are used to that is a low rate which tied to their low average income / family unit conveys the state is not reliant on that income in the manner in which we both are used to.
John2
(2,730 posts)watching documentaries of how they defeated the Nazi machine. They did it with very little or no help from the West. They did the same to Napoleon. They had a lot to do with the defeat of Germany period. Their people were truly resilient and amazing during World War II. Their nation is very rich in resources too. They impressed me in those documentaries.
Response to John2 (Reply #6)
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