A SHIELD FOR A NEW EQUILIBRIUM Cover Image

A SHIELD FOR A NEW EQUILIBRIUM
A SHIELD FOR A NEW EQUILIBRIUM

Author(s): Gheorghe Văduva
Subject(s): Security and defense, Military policy, EU-Accession / EU-DEvelopment, Geopolitics, Peace and Conflict Studies
Published by: Carol I National Defence University Publishing House
Keywords: shield; missile; anti-missile; system; involvement; protection; security;

Summary/Abstract: Unfortunately, the Theatre Missile Shield (TMD), also known as missile shield, cannot be seen only in itself, as a beneficial system for everybody, but especially as a European strategic safety solution, and meantime as a component of the US National Missile Defence (NMD). We consider such a shield is a must, as the ballistic missiles, created and located in silos, submarines, strategic bombers, or other vectors (although they are, in themselves, vectors carrying different types of loads, including the nuclear ones) threat everybody, including the ones owning them. This new anti-missile shield is related with the power relations and it is also related with a complicated and very sensitive security architecture, based on a moving and vulnerable equilibrium. A TMD is necessary, both for the United States, and for its strategic partners, and also for NATO and its European partners. However, achieving, expanding or improving any anti-missile system, as well any other offensive missile system (in fact, all missiles are offensive!) raises many problems. Even the current American TMD, which is meant to be a consonant and even integrated one, with a possible Alliance TMD, raises enough problems. Besides costs and more or less vehement Russia’s reactions, although the system does not aim the offensive missiles of the Russian Federation, the future US anti-missile shield, which will be operational in 2015, wants to be – and it is – a strategic stability factor, for strategic equilibrium.

  • Issue Year: 2010
  • Issue No: 34
  • Page Range: 18-22
  • Page Count: 5
  • Language: English