Russian President Vladimir Putin has put the Americans on the defensive in the ongoing dispute over US plans to site anti-missile defences in central Europe with an offer to jointly operate a radar station in Azerbaijan. Earlier this year, the George Bush administration announced plans to set up a ballistic missile defence (BMD) radar in the Czech Republic and to deploy associated long-range interceptor missiles in Poland. It claimed that the missile defence system was to provide all of Europe with a shield from nuclear attack by “rogue states” like Iran. The location of the missiles and radar in countries that were once under the Soviet sphere of influence was seen in Moscow as a provocative move. Moscow warned that if the US did not back off it would feel compelled to target any US-operated BMD complexes in Eastern Europe with its ballistic missiles. A heated war of words ensued. Then the Russians changed tack. President Putin adopted a seemingly conciliatory approach, offering to collaborate with the Americans on the project. He offered the Qabala facility in Azerbaijan, which the Russians have leased from the Azeri government, as a radar site for the Ballistic Missile Defence project.
President Vladimir Putin has called the Bush Administration’s bluff. If it is missiles launched from West Asia that the US wants to keep an eye on, then the Qabala radar is best suited for the job as it has the capacity to scan West Asia, North Africa and the Indian Ocean as well. Unlike the US-proposed Central European based shield which leaves a chunk of southeastern Europe uncovered, the Russian-proposed plan will shield all of Europe. If as claimed by the Americans the BMD is not aimed at Russia, then they should not have a problem putting a part of the shield in the hands of the Russians.
The Bush Administration is unlikely to accept the offer as its Ballistic Missile Defence system is aimed at the Russians as well. But it cannot reject the Russian offer outright as its real intentions will stand exposed. In a bid to carve itself an escape route from the corner it now finds itself in, it points to technical reasons why the Qabala facility does not meet its operational requirements. Russia has skillfully wrested the initiative from the US.  It should push this advantage further by seeking support from other European countries to checkmate Washington’s hegemonic objectives. Otherwise, the sole super power will exercise its power unchallenged.