Nuclear Strikes From 'Rogue States' Possible
Pastor Dale Morgan
Nuclear Strikes From 'Rogue States' Possible*
Moscow (RIA Novosti) Nov 23, 2006
Russia's Air Force commander said Wednesday he considers nuclear missile
launches by terrorists or 'rogue states' to be a genuine threat.
"Increasingly probable and dangerous for the U.S., Russia and European
countries are single or multiple missile strikes from third countries,
known as rogue states, countries with unstable, non-democratic regimes,
or terrorist organizations with access to missile technology," Vladimir
Mikhailov said.
Mikhailov said accidental launches were also possible.
"Although accidental launches of missiles with nuclear warheads have not
occurred in the history of nuclear missile technology, this does not
mean they will not occur in the future, given the growing spread of
nuclear missiles," he said.
Mikhailov also said terrorist organizations and the countries harboring
them would not be deterred by the threat of a retaliatory strike, which
has acted as a constraint for Russia and the United States, the world's
largest nuclear powers.
"The objective of terrorists is to attract as much attention to their
attacks as possible," he said.
Retaliation against a missile strike is also fraught with massive
civilian casualties and destruction, the commander said, referring to
recent warfare between Israel and Lebanon.
Mikhailov warned that missile technology will be increasingly popular in
21st century conflicts due to its combat capability and relatively small
size.
International non-proliferation efforts have been facing difficulties in
recent years.
North Korea said it conducted its first nuclear test on October 9, which
could make it the ninth country known to have nuclear weapons, along
with the U.S., Russia, France, China, Britain, India, Pakistan, and
Israel, the latter three being de-facto nuclear powers.
The secretive Communist state is already under UN sanctions over the
move, while Iran faces sanctions over its defiance to halt uranium
enrichment. The Islamic Republic has been in at center of an
international nuclear dispute, suspected of pursuing nuclear weapons
under the guise of a civilian energy program.
Russia has taken a moderate position in both disputes, acknowledging the
countries' right to peaceful nuclear power under the Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty, but voicing concerns over their unwillingness
to ease the international suspicions.
Source: RIA Novosti