Russian Bear – Jeff, trust your Presidents. Do not mess up with Russians. They have good air defense to shoot down your A-10s and F-16. Even F-22s.
I read an Australian review of Russian air defense systems that was very worrying. Essentially the newer S-300P/V and S-400 mixed range systems. All with AEGIS-like phased radar systems and anti-jamming systems fitted with the latest Western electronics, computer-driven ECCM. The conclusion is they are very, very dangerous to any aircraft (90%+ kill probabilities) outside possibly the F-22 and B-2. And 70% effective on cruise missiles per shot and even capable of ICBM-killing.
Essentially, better, and longer range than the Patriot missile system.
The Aussies have assessed them because they are worried that Russia may be tempted to export the systems to countries Australia may have to contend with regionally, and have nothing in their air power wing that can contend with the Russian high-tech missiles except perhaps flying F-111s very, very low in terrain-hugging mode in areas that the defending Nation cannot set up air or mountain top “look-down radar systems” in an adequate network.
The Russian air defense missiles can extend out to 300 KM, making AWACS and JSTARs assets also at risk.
John Samford – On a positive note, Soviet weapons are not very good.
Don’t delude yourself. For what Russia wants to do, maintain it’s security and it’s traditional sphere of influence, the quanity and new modern quality of it’s weapons are plenty good enough.
Fred – What is most distressing to me and perhaps to many other Americans like me are fellow Americans who root for the enemy, excuse them, rationalize what they do. THAT is hard to swallow.
No Fred, what most Americans are now objecting to is brainless neocon sympathizers waving their sabers in their armchairs and calling for endless wars against what they consider America’s endless enemies. Enemies because they fail to do exactly what neocons want them to do, and accept America’s dual standards on Israel, encroachment on spheres of influence, and who is allowed to get bombed for resisting the right of “freedom-loving” people like the Chechens and Kosovars to self-determination, but not the Ossetians, Palestinians, Moros, Basques…
Reference Pat Buchanan’s article on what seems the Neocon determination since 1994 to provoke Russia into becoming, again, a great enemy of America.
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=28053
Bear-baiting was apparantly great fun, as long as the bear was weak and prostrate. And we could rub their nose in it with a string of humiliations in a way we avoided doing with the Japanese, Germans, Vietnamese, and even the backstabbing “noble purple-fingered freedom-lovers” of Iraq after conclusion of major hostilities and the disastrous Bremer decisions.
But the Bear is resusitated, and just bit back, to backers of the “American Imperium & Hegemony’s” utter shock. Who, because we are overextended, shudder from conscripting adequate troops, and have united the world and most of America against more military adventures in lands outside our vital interests – can only sputter their “deep shock and outrage! Outrage!”
