Nato's missile defence shield 'up and running'

[Gerald]

At its summit in Chicago this weekend, Nato is set to announce its new ballistic missile defence system has reached what it calls "interim operational capability".

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/image...de01_624_2.gif

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/image...de02_624_2.gif

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/image...de03_624_2.gif

At its summit in Chicago this weekend, Nato is set to announce its new ballistic missile defence system has reached what it calls "interim operational capability".

This means that the first phase of the controversial scheme to defend Nato territory against ballistic missile attack will be operational.

But Nato's plans have many critics.

Some wonder if the system will work - and question whether there really is a missile threat to Nato territory at all.

Others fear it will poison relations between Russia and the West, delivering little real strategic benefit.

Nato has watched the spread of ballistic missile technology with growing unease.

If there is a potential ballistic missile threat to Nato countries then it can be summed up in one word - Iran.However, a leading expert on missile defence technology, Professor Theodore Postol of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, believes that this potential threat has been much overstated.

"The fundamental long-term threat from Iran is from nuclear weapons. But for now Iran does not have the bomb. A ballistic missile without a nuclear weapon," he says, "is like a terrorist bomber without an explosive vest."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-18093664


Note: 20 May 2012 Last updated at 01:10 GMT