Mark Fitzpatrick is an international security expert with the International Institute for Strategic Studies. He joins us this morning from London, England.
Among those missiles being tested, a long-range one called the Shahab 3. And that ups the ante, doesn't it?
FITZPATRICK: Well, it ups the ante in terms of the signal being sent. It doesn't change the military balance in the region. Iran has tested these missiles before. They're not very accurate and they don't carry that much of a payload. Iran doesn't have a nuclear weapon yet to put on it.
So, it's mostly kind of a rhetorical device at this stage.
10 July 2008: CTV News
ANCHORS: MARCI IEN
GUESTS: MARK FITZPATRICK, INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STRATEGIC STUDIES
IEN: For the second time in as many days Iran [was] test- firing medium and long-range missiles in the Persian Gulf. Iranian officials say the tests are meant to show the country's readiness to strike back if attacked by the US or Israel. This comes in the middle increased diplomatic efforts to end the standoff over Iran's nuclear program.
Mark Fitzpatrick is an international security expert with the International Institute for Strategic Studies. He joins us this morning from London, England.
Among those missiles being tested, a long-range one called the Shahab 3. And that ups the ante, doesn't it?
FITZPATRICK: Well, it ups the ante in terms of the signal being sent. It doesn't change the military balance in the region. Iran has tested these missiles before. They're not very accurate and they don't carry that much of a payload. Iran doesn't have a nuclear weapon yet to put on it.
So, it's mostly kind of a rhetorical device at this stage.
IEN: Meanwhile, we've got US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice signing a deal with the Czech Republic to install a missile shield there. That's raising the ire of Russia who says it totally does not agree with this. What do you think?
FITZPATRICK: Well, Russia feels a strong psychological antagonism to US military forces being stationed in its former backyard, the former Warsaw Pact countries of the Czech Republic and Poland.
In terms of the substance of Russia's arguments, they don't have a great deal of validity. The missile satellite that is being installed in the Czech Republic, if the parliamentary agrees, would be directed much more towards Iran. It's not directed toward Russia. It doesn't really present a substantive threat to Russia.
IEN: There's so many different factors here. We've got several administrators on their way out. Bush, ending his presidency. If he is to take military action time is of the essence. You've got a new US president coming in. The men who would replace him [are] saying different things. John McCain saying I like this missile defence shield idea. Barack Obama saying, you know what, negotiation, direct talks, that's the way to go.
Who's right?
FITZPATRICK: Well, you know, there have been talks between Russia and the United States on the defence shield. I think these talks are ongoing. But they're at a relatively low level. They haven't really reached a kind of level where real decision-makers can weigh in. So, they have several impasses.
But, ideally, Russia and the United States, the NATO countries, should be able to agree on a defensive shield that protect all of them against errant states like Iran. I'm sorry that they are not at this stage yet.
If the question is how imminent is the Iranian missile threat, yesterday's missile tests increase the imminency [sic] but Iran is still a ways off before hitting anything in Europe that would have a bang to it.
IEN: Mark Fitzgerald, thank you.
FITZPATRICK: Fitzpatrick. Thank you. You're welcome.
IEN: Fitzpatrick. I'm sorry. Thank you so much.
FITZPATRICK: [laughs] You're welcome.
