In a move likely to concern Russian and Chinese policy makers, the United States is planning on building regional missile defense shields in Asia and the Mideast, Reuters reports. The shields are aimed at containing potential threats from North Korea and Iran. Despite the focus on North Korea and Iran the upgrades planned on the shields over the next several years could result in thwarting Russia’s nuclear deterrent by 2020. Defense Analyst Riki Ellison expects China to react even more unfavorably to the proposal than Russia:
“[China] would take much more offense to an Asian phased adaptive approach than Russia is doing with the European one,”
Via Reuters
