Abstract:
What are the objectives of the Western countries for
bolstering the air defense systems around Iran? What are the
consequences of the expansion of these systems for Iran’s national
security? During the past years, Western countries, led by the U.S.
have been expanding the air defense systems around Iran and
have, so far, equipped the Persian Gulf littoral Arab states, Turkey
and Israel with the latest air defense systems and are even
networking and connecting these systems to each other to reinforce
the defense capability. The objective of both providers and
receivers is to counter-balance against and confront the missile
capability of Iran and as a result, undermine Iran’s deterrence
power. This article will review the current situation of the air
defense systems around Iran particularly that of NATO’s missile
defense shield in Turkey. In the end, the author concludes that
attempts by the U.S., Israel and the Arab states for deploying the
air defense systems will pose serious threats at various dimensions
to Iran’s national security. This threat is particularly serious when
it comes to undermining the deterrence capability of Iran.
Machine summary:
"The fact is that during the past year numerous attempts were made by Bush and Obama administrations to magnify Iran's missile and nuclear capability so as to pave the way for deploying the missile defense shield and bolstering the defense systems in the Persian Gulf littoral states.
In addition to the deployment of the missile defense shield in Europe, the government of President Bush tried to reinforce the air defense capability of the Persian Gulf littoral Arab states and Israel ostensibly to contain Iran's missile capability.
President Obama developed policies like multilateralism and the improvement of relations with Russia and European countries, paving the way for changes in Bush's security policies, particularly with regard to the deployment of the missile defense shield.
For instance in one of its official statements, while President Obama's Administration supported the deployment of the missile defense shield in Europe, he called out for fundamental reconsideration of the American policy in this regard, particularly in view of the two main variables of "cost and benefit" and "practicality.
S. Missile Defense Systems in the Region In addition to the attempts for building NATO's missile defense shield in Turkey, during the past years, the Obama Administration has been trying to boost the defense capabilities of the Persian Gulf littoral Arab states as well as Israel.
These actions include attempts for building NATO's missile defense shield in Turkey and the deployment and reinforcement of the missile defense systems in the Persian Gulf littoral states and Israel."