After the acts of terror in the US support for the plans to create the national missile defence system (NMD) inside the country will grow. This opinion was expressed by Deputy Chairman of Duma Defence Committee and deputy from the Yabloko faction Alexei Arbatov at a press conference at the RIA Novosti news agency on September 18, 2001.

According to Arbatov, the acts of terror in Washington, D.C. and New York demonstrated that terrorism has shifted to a qualitatively new level. There is a real threat that terrorists may dispose of ballistic missiles and weapons of mass destruction.

In addition, noted Arbatov, during the “retaliatory action” the US and their possible allies will inflict strikes on definite countries rather than international terrorism in general. Many of these countries are striving to get hold of weapons of mass destruction and missile technologies. Thus, said Arbatov, the US require a tool to contain this threat.

Arbatov also noted that the tragic events in the US may lead to changes in the planned creation of the NMD. In particular, previously the threat from “rogue countries” was considered to be a pretext for the development of the system; whereas its real target was China, and later, possibly, Russia. Today the NMD programme will focus on the countries providing support to terrorists.

Based on RIA Novosti reports.

See also:

Acts of terror in the US