or how Russia came to hate the ballistic missile interceptor.
This topic is in the news again, since a pair of BMD critics are calling into question the US military’s claims of success in SM-3 trials. But as always, the political implications of the missile shield has entered the discussion, so I feel obliged to explain the situation somewhat. Bear in mind that I don’t claim to be an expert on geopolitics or nuclear war, just an interested outsider who understands the issues a little better than most.
So Russia is not a fan of the American missile defense plan. Many people don’t really understand why though. The shield is intended to protect America from an attack by a country like Iran or North Korea, with only a handful of missiles and warheads. Surely Russia’s ~8000 nuclear weapons would be sufficient to overwhelm any shield, is a common statement. Well, not so much.
