© RIA Novosti. Sergei KazakWarhead
Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said that Russia was "preparing a response" to plans by the United States to develop a new fast-strike weapons platform capable of hitting high-priority targets around the globe.
He told the State Duma that the development of a global strike program was "the most important new strategy being developed by the United States today."
"They may experiment with conventional weapons on strategic delivery platforms, but they must bear in mind, that if we are attacked, in certain circumstances we will of course respond with nuclear weapons," Rogozin said.
© RIA Novosti. Sergey MamontovDmitry Rogozin
The US administration under President George W. Bush considered the idea of a global strike capability, but abandoned the project over fears that launching an ICBM with a conventional warhead might accidentally trigger a nuclear war.
"launching an ICBM with a conventional warhead might accidentally trigger a nuclear war"
Might trigger a nuclear war? Such an action WILL trigger a nuclear war.
The targeted country has no way of confirming whether an inflight ICBM carries a Nuke or not, until it detonates.
Therefore, according to it's defense policy, a counter-strike will be ordered prior to detonation.
There's no accidentally in the equation.
Even George Bush could figure out that Fast Strike is indistinguishable from First Strike, and that there was no advantage or reason to entertain it.