Nato: West needs new missile shield against Iranian nuclear threat

09-13-2010 • Telegraph.co.uk/

Speaking at his residence in a luxurious suburb of south Brussels, a day after returning from a meeting with President Barack Obama in Washington, Mr Rasmussen told The Sunday Telegraph that he believes that it would be relatively straightforward to set up a new defensive system. Under the plan, an anti-ballistic missile "shield" would be extended across Nato's territory, coordinated by a new command and control system that would "knit together" existing radar and other sensor systems, with new SM-3 missiles based on land. "In a nutshell we could build an effective missile defence system to protect all our population by connecting existing systems," he said. "Even in a time of economic constraints it would cost very little – €200 million over 10 years, shared between 28 allies. For a modest cost we can protect 900 million citizens. "If Nato decides to go ahead and develop a missile defence system it should be accompanied by an invitation to the Russians to cooperate. This would make sense from a security point of view. Realistically we would have a Nato system alongside a Russian system. We can develop cooperation mechanisms which would make the whole system more effective.

1 Comments in Response to Nato: West needs new missile shield against Iranian nuclear threat

Comment by Ross Wolf

Entered on: 9/13/2010 2:42:04 PM

Can you find any report that evidences the success rate of these supposed missile shields done independently. So far it appears all defense shields are not effective against several missiles fired at once. Only one nuclear missile has to get through. The only people who win are the manufacturers of these supposed missile shields billing U.S. Taxpayers billions. Make U.S. Government prove the shield really works?

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