No, there was understand between US and USSR. That they will both let each other have knives at each others throats to ensure none does anything stupid. But US thinking that they are better than this has lead to imbalance. Russia was developing new systems but not ones at delivering nuclear payloads. In fact if anything there was a drastic reduction in number of MIRV's per missile.
I would believe your saying that ABM is meant to protect against some crazy countries (iran, Nkorea) if USA wasn't slowly encircling Russia with ABM systems. The world isn't stupid.
Of course they are complaining. Any sane nation will react appropriately to this possible imbalance regardless of the effectiveness of ABM.
Yes there was an understanding with knives at each others' throats. Yet Russia has their own ABM system long before the U.S. has started developing THAAD. Russia claims their new ballistic missiles can punch throught our ABM system, then there is nothing to worry about. Don't need to increase the payload when all the warheads can dodge them easily as Russia claims.
Since we have interests around the world, of course the ABM system would be established around the world since we have allies and territories to protect. For example, China complained about the new radar that was to counter North Korea, but China deems it as a threat to their own missiles. Or Russia complaining about our Aegis ships nearby even in international waters.
China criticises U.S. missile defense radar in Japan | Asia-Pasific | Worldbulletin News
The United States is damaging stability in the Asia-Pacific region by positioning a missile defence radar in Japan, China said on Thursday.
Japan, an ally of the United States, has voiced growing anxiety over China's more assertive posture in the East China Sea, where the neighbours are locked in a dispute over control of a group of uninhabited islets.
North Korea has carried out a series of missile tests this year, including two medium-range missiles capable of hitting Japan. Pyongyang has also threatened another nuclear test.
Japan's defence ministry has said an X-Band radar system was delivered on Tuesday to the U.S. military's communication facility in Kyoto in the western part of the country. It is scheduled to be fully operational by the end of the year.
"Neighboring countries pushing forward the deployment of anti-missile systems in the Asia-Pacific and seeking unilateral security is not beneficial to strategic stability and mutual trust in the region," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a regular briefing.
"It is not beneficial to peace and stability in Northeast Asia."
Countries should not use "excuses to harm the security interests of other countries," Hua added, describing the situation as "deeply concerning".
China has racheted up military spending in recent years, putting in place new submarines, surface ships and anti-ship ballistic missiles, which the U.S. sees as a counter to its military presence in the region.
U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has said two Navy destroyers equipped with missile defense systems would be deployed to Japan by 2017 in response to provocations from North Korea.
Russia Fumes Over U.S. Missile Defense Ship | CNS News
(CNSNews.com) – Three months after the United States deployed the first asset in its new European missile defense architecture – a guided missile cruiser equipped to track and destroy ballistic missiles in flight – Russia is bristling at the ship’s presence in its neighborhood.
The
USS Monterey, which deployed to Europe in early March, this week is reported to be taking part in annual multi-country exercises in the Black Sea, co-hosted by the U.S. and Ukraine.
In a strongly worded statement issued Sunday, the Russian foreign ministry deplored its presence, highlighting the Kremlin’s enduring concerns that the missile defense shield threatens its security by weakening the Russian nuclear deterrent.
Washington has long insisted that the system is designed to protect against potential missile attack from the Middle East, principally Iran, pointing out that it will be dwarfed by – and therefore pose to threat to – the Russian nuclear arsenal.
The Bush administration initially planned a ballistic missile defense (BMD) umbrella to defend its allies from the threat of long-range Iranian missiles, with facilities in Poland and the Czech Republic. Russia resisted.
Following a lengthy review, President Obama announced in 2009 an alternative “phased adaptive approach” designed to protect first southeastern Europe, and eventually all of the continent, against short- and medium-range missiles.
