Introduction to International Politics

Foreign Event Analysis

Locale[]
Russian Federation
Title
Russia to Deploy Missiles to Baltic
Summary
Russia plans to send short-range Iskander missiles to the Kaliningrad region in response to the United States’s plans to deploy its anti-missile shield in Poland and the Czech Republic. While the United States has stated that the shield is a defense against “rogue nations,” Russia sees it as a threat. Concern over a new arms race has been expressed by states throughout the region.
Analysis
This is a perfect example of the security dilemma emphasized under the Realist Perspective. Seeing the deployment of anti-missile defense systems as a threat to security, Russia sought to reassert its power and strengthen security by deploying missiles of its own. While no other states in the region have begun increasing their own security through military means, most have expressed concern with Russia’s aggressive policies. Although disappointed with Russia’s expected missile deployment, the United States has no plans to cancel the defense system.
Much of the anxiety felt by Russia can be attributed to the expansion of NATO, which has included several former Soviet satellite states. Feeling threatened by NATO encirclement in addition to the missile defense system, Russia has responded by attempting to “neutralize” the shield system through a missile system of its own. This assertion of power has caught the attention of many states around the world, and many hope this display of aggression will not lead to a new arms race.
Perspectiver
Realist
In-Region URL
http://www.russiatoday.com/news/news/32886
Out-of-Region URL
http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/ukfs_news/hi/newsid_7710000/newsid_7710300/7710362.stm
Submitted
November 7, 2008 at 02:39 am