Paul Sonne
National security reporter focusing on the U.S. military
BRUSSELS The U.S. ambassador to NATO set off alarm bells Tuesday when she suggested that the United States might take out Russian missiles that U.S. officials say violate a landmark arms control treaty.
Although Ambassador Kay Bailey Hutchisons comments were somewhat ambiguous, arms control experts said they could be interpreted to mean a preemptive strike. Such a move could lead to nuclear war.
Only after the comments drew a furious response from the Russian Foreign Ministrydid Hutchison clarify on Twitter that shewas not talking about preemptively striking Russia. But the diplomatic damage was already done.
The impression is that people making such claims are unaware of the degree of their responsibility and the danger of aggressive rhetoric, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters, the Interfax news agency reported. Who authorized this lady to make such allegations? The American people? Do ordinary Americans know that they are paying out of their pockets for so-called diplomats who behave so aggressively and destructively?
Russia denies violating the treaty.
Asked during a news conference at NATO headquarters what the United States might do about a new class of Russian missiles that appear to violate the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty, Hutchison said, The countermeasures would be to take out the missiles that are in development by Russia in violation of the treaty.
Before Hutchison clarified her position, more than nine hours after her initial remarks, it was unclear whether she meant that the United States would target Russias banned missile installations if Moscow doesnt come back into compliance, or whether she was warning that the United States would enhance its missile defenses so it could take out any banned missiles Russia decided to launch at U.S. or allied targets. The United States currently has limited ability to defend against cruise missile threats.
The question was what would you do if this continues to a point where we know that they are capable of delivering the banned missiles, Hutchison said. And at that point we would then be looking at a capability to take out a missile that could hit any of our countries in Europe and hit America in Alaska.
The treaty, which the United States and the Soviet Union signed in 1987, prohibits the production and deployment of nuclear and conventional missiles that fly from 500 to 5,500 kilometers. It applies to ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles.
NATO defense ministers plan to address the alleged Russian violations at a Brussels meeting on Wednesday and Thursday.
Hutchison, a former Republican senator from Texas, has been President Trumps ambassador to NATO for just over a year.
She does threaten preemption. She just didnt mean it, said Jeffrey Lewis, an arms control scholar at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey.
Welcome to NATO! You have one job: to not start nuclear war with Russia, he joked. As an expert, I am used to politicians, including politicians who have been appointed as ambassadors, badly mangling simple things. So my default assumption was that she was badly mangling pretty common talking points.
Hutchisons comments set off a flurry of anxiety on Twitter, where arms control experts speculated about what she meant. Several pointed out that taking countermeasures against undeployed missiles that are still in development by definition would be a preemptive strike.
Russia has long feared that U.S. missile shields could be used covertly to preemptively target the man who controls the Russian nuclear arsenal Russian President Vladimir Putin. Although U.S. officials have long denied that is the purpose of their missile defense efforts, Hutchisons comments fed directly into the Russian concerns.
Zakharova said that Russian military experts were preparing a more technical response to Hutchison.
During the final years of the Obama administration, the State Department regularly stated that Russia was violating the treaty but stopped short of specifying which Russian weapon was going against the pact. Last year, Air Force Gen. Paul Selva, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Russia had violated the treatys spirit and intent by deploying a ground-based cruise missile.
Russia has accused the United States of violating the treaty with its Aegis Ashore missile defense installations in Romania and a similar installation still in the works in Poland, claiming that those platforms could launch Tomahawk cruise missiles in violation of the treaty. The United States has denied those accusations, saying the system launches only SM-3 interceptor missiles not covered by the pact.
Efforts by U.S. diplomats to bring Russia back into compliance with the treaty, including meetings between American and Russian officials as part of the pacts enforcement mechanism, have so far come up short. Under direction from Congress and to ratchet up pressure, the Pentagon has begun drawing up plans for a banned missile that the United States could deploy quickly if the treaty formally falls apart.
The treaty bans only production, testing and use of intermediate-range missiles; research and development isnt prohibited.
The dispute over the INF Treaty has also prompted the U.S. military to consider stepping up defenses against cruise missile threats from Russia in Europe. The Pentagon had drawn up a draft of the Trump administrations new missile defense policy early this year, but top officials sent it back to the drawing board after demanding that itmore thoroughly address the Russian cruise missile threat in Europe.
One possible step would be to stand up a better sensor network that could track any Russian cruise missiles from the moment of their launch at a European target. The Pentagon is also looking at technologies that could be put in place to shoot down missiles heading toward specific targets an effort Hutchison might have been referencing in her remarks.
This treaty is in danger because of Russias actions, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenbergtold reporters. All allies agree that the most plausible assessment would be that Russia is in violation of the treaty. It is therefore urgent that Russia addresses these concerns in a substantial and transparent manner.
Sonne reported from Washington.
Read more
In Russias Far East, villagers recognize a Skripal poisoning suspect
In a blow to Israel, Russia says it will send Syria powerful antiaircraft missiles
Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world
Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news
See the article here:
Trumps ambassador to NATO sets off diplomatic incident with ...
- NATO Protesters Receive 5- To 8-Year Prison Terms - April 26th, 2014 [April 26th, 2014]
- NATO - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - April 26th, 2014 [April 26th, 2014]
- Latvia: US troops arrive in Baltics for NATO drill - Video - April 26th, 2014 [April 26th, 2014]
- No NATO. May 2012. Archive. Chicago, Il - Video - April 26th, 2014 [April 26th, 2014]
- Erkkio Tuomioja: "Nato suojaa Suomea meteoriiteilta". - Video - April 26th, 2014 [April 26th, 2014]
- US troops arrive in Latvia for NATO exercises: Baltic states concerned by Russian military threat - Video - April 26th, 2014 [April 26th, 2014]
- Voglio andare a vivere a Laveno dove e' nato Pozzetto - Video - April 26th, 2014 [April 26th, 2014]
- OcaqTv - Rusiya NATO srhdini pozdu -- F-16-lar havaya qalxd - Video - April 26th, 2014 [April 26th, 2014]
- Men of War Assault Squad Cold War Mod - NATO vs Warsaw Pact - Video - April 26th, 2014 [April 26th, 2014]
- US troops in Poland: American soldiers arrive for NATO exercises in response to Russia threat - Video - April 26th, 2014 [April 26th, 2014]
- Ancona 23-04-14 PdCI - La crisi dell'Ucraina, la NATO e l'UE: pericoli di guerra e lotta x la Pace - Video - April 26th, 2014 [April 26th, 2014]
- Eastermonday Peace ralley NATO Bchel germany 21.04.2014 - Video - April 26th, 2014 [April 26th, 2014]
- How to change Gear 2 Strap NATO no tool needed - Video - April 26th, 2014 [April 26th, 2014]
- In Context: The War Report #3 - Ukraine and NATO - Video - April 26th, 2014 [April 26th, 2014]
- On The Wrist Omega Speedmaster Black NATO Strap - Video - April 26th, 2014 [April 26th, 2014]
- US, NATO expanding on Russia doorstep: Analyst - Video - April 26th, 2014 [April 26th, 2014]
- NATO War Games Send Warning to Moscow - Video - April 26th, 2014 [April 26th, 2014]
- NATO to deploy recon flights over Poland - April 27th, 2014 [April 27th, 2014]
- Nato News - April 27th, 2014 [April 27th, 2014]
- NATO - State - April 27th, 2014 [April 27th, 2014]
- NATO: Definition from Answers.com - Answers - The Most ... - April 27th, 2014 [April 27th, 2014]
- Marine Le Pen: Vyvediem Franczsko z NATO - francztina, rutina - Video - April 27th, 2014 [April 27th, 2014]
- 5 NATO troops killed in Kandahar Afghanistan UK's helicopter crash - Video - April 27th, 2014 [April 27th, 2014]
- European observers detained in Ukraine are branded 'Nato spies' - Video - April 27th, 2014 [April 27th, 2014]
- Prostittas priecjas par NATO karavriem Latvij - Video - April 27th, 2014 [April 27th, 2014]
- MV Bill - A Luz #PersianaBaixaMix (prod. DJ Nato pk) Part. @KmillaCdd - Video - April 27th, 2014 [April 27th, 2014]
- Furious Russia Proposes Retaliation Against NATO Countries! - Video - April 27th, 2014 [April 27th, 2014]
- Conversation: NATO's Evolving Mission - Video - April 27th, 2014 [April 27th, 2014]
- NATO supply trucks stuck in Pakistan - Video - April 28th, 2014 [April 28th, 2014]
- NATO troops killed in Afghanistan helicopter crash - Video - April 28th, 2014 [April 28th, 2014]
- Slovakia: NATO exercises in Central Europe - Video - April 28th, 2014 [April 28th, 2014]
- "NATO 3" individuals sentenced - Video - April 28th, 2014 [April 28th, 2014]
- NATO exercise scenario: Naval response to invasion of allied country - April 29th, 2014 [April 29th, 2014]
- NATO News and Video - FOX News Topics - FOXNews.com - April 29th, 2014 [April 29th, 2014]
- RAF Typhoons Arrive in Lithuania to Reinforce NATO Air Policing Mission - Video - April 29th, 2014 [April 29th, 2014]
- Poland: French Rafale fighter jets join NATO force - Video - April 29th, 2014 [April 29th, 2014]
- RAF Deploys Typhoon Jets To Bolster Nato Air Policing Mission - Video - April 29th, 2014 [April 29th, 2014]
- Sunday 4/27/2014 - Tarpley Points Out Fake-OSCE Observers Are Actually NATO Military Officers - Video - April 29th, 2014 [April 29th, 2014]
- Germany: Pro-Russians rally against NATO in Frankfurt - Video - April 29th, 2014 [April 29th, 2014]
- April 28 2014 Breaking News NATO minesweepers set off on Baltic deployment - Video - April 30th, 2014 [April 30th, 2014]
- NATO forces serve world bankers: Analyst - Video - April 30th, 2014 [April 30th, 2014]
- 2 NATO troops killed in attack in eastern Afghanistan - Video - April 30th, 2014 [April 30th, 2014]
- STEFANO BORGONOVO:ATTACCANTE NATO IL DOCUMENTARIO - Video - April 30th, 2014 [April 30th, 2014]
- RAF Deploys Typhoon Jets To Bolster NATO Air Policing Mission - May 1st, 2014 [May 1st, 2014]
- NATO opens second Baltic air base in Estonia with 4 Danish fighter jets amid Ukraine crisis - May 1st, 2014 [May 1st, 2014]
- NATO triples fighter jets in Baltic countries - Video - May 1st, 2014 [May 1st, 2014]
- Lithuania: US hands over NATO air patrol to UK - Video - May 1st, 2014 [May 1st, 2014]
- Ukraine: Kerry announces more support from NATO towards coup - Video - May 1st, 2014 [May 1st, 2014]
- Scoring Political Points? NATO bolsters forces in Eastern Europe - Video - May 1st, 2014 [May 1st, 2014]
- Putin: NATO Chief Rasmussen secretly taped, leaked meeting when he was Danish PM - Video - May 1st, 2014 [May 1st, 2014]
- Russia Accuses NATO of 'Provocative' Actions - Video - May 1st, 2014 [May 1st, 2014]
- NATO & its future NAZI headquarters - Video - May 1st, 2014 [May 1st, 2014]
- NATO Fest 2014 - Video - May 1st, 2014 [May 1st, 2014]
- RAF Jets Respond To Ukraine Crisis 28.04.14 - Video - May 1st, 2014 [May 1st, 2014]
- OSCE team in Ukraine NATO spies: Analyst - Video - May 1st, 2014 [May 1st, 2014]
- NATO commander: Europe concept on international borders changed after Crimea annexation - May 1st, 2014 [May 1st, 2014]
- NATO allies take over Baltic mission from Air Force - May 1st, 2014 [May 1st, 2014]
- NATO official says Russia must now be viewed as more of an enemy than a partner - May 1st, 2014 [May 1st, 2014]
- NATO official says Russia now an adversary - May 1st, 2014 [May 1st, 2014]
- North Atlantic Treaty Organization - The New York Times - May 1st, 2014 [May 1st, 2014]
- Estonian Air Base Turns Into Second NATO Baltic States Hub - Video - May 1st, 2014 [May 1st, 2014]
- Finale Ligure Freeride H e Base nato con Patrik - Video - May 1st, 2014 [May 1st, 2014]
- Ellodesse Mv.1, 2, 3 - nato in Synthesia - Video - May 1st, 2014 [May 1st, 2014]
- NATO Boosts Presence in Eastern Europe Amid Continued Turmoil in Ukraine - Video - May 1st, 2014 [May 1st, 2014]
- NATO's efforts to attain advancement in ariel warfare and defense HD Stock Footage - Video - May 1st, 2014 [May 1st, 2014]
- Me Gusta By Nato 2014 - Video - May 1st, 2014 [May 1st, 2014]
- Toward a Europe Whole and Free: Secretary of State John Kerry - Video - May 1st, 2014 [May 1st, 2014]
- NATO official: Russian moves in Ukraine pose 'grave challenge' to global security system - May 2nd, 2014 [May 2nd, 2014]
- As NATO Builds It's Forces The Economy Is On The Brink Of Collapse -- Episode 355 - Video - May 2nd, 2014 [May 2nd, 2014]
- 15 years on: NATO's Murino Massacre of innocent children remembered In the NOW. - Video - May 2nd, 2014 [May 2nd, 2014]
- Nato -- finally finding its feet? - Video - May 2nd, 2014 [May 2nd, 2014]
- Europe Responds to Russian Aggression: NATO opens second Baltic hub at Estonia's Amari air base - Video - May 2nd, 2014 [May 2nd, 2014]
- NATO air strength triples in Baltic states - Video - May 2nd, 2014 [May 2nd, 2014]
- Russia now an adversary, NATO official says - May 3rd, 2014 [May 3rd, 2014]
- NATO Movie - Video - May 3rd, 2014 [May 3rd, 2014]
- The Expandables: NATO talking heads, war tech on 'crusade control' - Video - May 3rd, 2014 [May 3rd, 2014]
- Friend to Foe? NATO's Deputy Head classifies Russia as enemy over Ukrainian crisis - Video - May 3rd, 2014 [May 3rd, 2014]
- Tiger's Eye Dance by Oasis Dancers at 2014 NATO - JVC Version - Video - May 3rd, 2014 [May 3rd, 2014]
- Cleopatra's Dance by Oasis Dancers at 2014 NATO - JVC Version - Video - May 3rd, 2014 [May 3rd, 2014]
- Slave To The Rhythm Dance by Oasis Dancer at 2014 NATO - JVC Version - Video - May 3rd, 2014 [May 3rd, 2014]