THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Russia is deploying the threat to sell a "game changing" air defence system to Iran as a high stakes bargaining chip in its new "cold war" with America, The Sunday Telegraph has learned.
US intelligence fears the Kremlin will supply the sophisticated S-300 system to Tehran if Washington pushes through Nato membership for its pro-Western neighbours Georgia and Ukraine.
The proposed deal is causing huge alarm in the US and Israel as the S-300 can track 100 targets at once and fire on planes up to 75 miles away.
That would make it a "game-changer", greatly improving Iranian defences against any air strike on its nuclear sites, according to Pentagon adviser Dan Goure. "This is a system that scares every Western air force," he said.
Senior US intelligence operatives believe that Russia is planning to use a stand-off over the S-300 to create a foreign policy showdown that would test the mettle of a new US president.
Republican candidate John McCain has taken a strongly anti-Kremlin line on a series of international issues and backed Georgia's desire to join Nato. His Democratic rival Barack Obama has also indicated he supports Nato membership for Georgia.
"The message from Moscow is very clear," said George Friedman, director of Stratfor, a leading US private intelligence agency. "They are saying if you don't stop meddling in our sphere of influence, this is what we are going to do.
"Back Georgia and Ukraine for Nato membership and you'll see the S-300 to Iran. It is a very powerful bargaining chip and a major deterrent to US actions in the region. Moscow is playing very strategically on America's obsession with Iran." Russia Threatens to Supply Iran with Top New Missile System as 'Cold War' Escalates >>> By Philip Sherwell in New York and William Lowther in Washington | August 31, 2008
BBC:
UK Warns over ‘Russia Aggression’: Prime minister Gordon Brown has said Nato and the EU must reassess their relations with the Kremlin to prevent further "Russian aggression".
His comments came amid fears Russia could cut oil and gas flows in the row over Georgia.
Mr Brown, in the Observer, urged the EU to conduct a "root and branch" review of relations with the Kremlin. >>>> | August 31, 2008
THE TELEGRAPH:
Vladimir Putin Threatens Europe over Energy Supply: Vladimir Putin has warned Europe that Russia's energy reserves will flow to the Far East if the continent's leaders seek to punish his country for invading Georgia >>> By Damien McElroy in Tbilisi and Bruno Waterfield in Brussels | August 31, 2008
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