US tests cruise missile and prompts reaction from Russia and China

The U.S. has conducted the first test of a ground-launched cruise missile since its withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty with Russia earlier this month. On Sunday, the Pentagon flight tested the missile at San Nicolas Island, California.

The test missile "exited its ground mobile launcher and accurately impacted its target after more than 500 kilometers of flight," the Defense Department said in a statement. The Pentagon said that during the test, it collected data that will inform its development of future intermediate-range missile capabilities.

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Moscow called the test "regrettable" and said it showed Washington had been getting ready to end the treaty for a long time, the Russian TASS news agency reported Tuesday, according to Reuters.

TASS quoted Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying, "All this elicits regret, the United States has obviously taken the course of escalating military tensions. We will not succumb to provocations. We won't allow ourselves to be pulled into a costly arms race."

Beijing also weighed in, Agence France-Presse reported. "This measure from the US will trigger a new round of an arms race, leading to an escalation of military confrontation, which will have a serious negative impact on the international and regional security situation," AFP quoted Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang as saying.

He added that the U.S. ought to "let go of its Cold War mentality" and "do more things that are conducive to ... international and regional peace and tranquility."

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beenherebeforeagain said:

So, objections to a test from a nation that fairly recently conducted a test of a mach 7 cruise missile bragging that no western nation could defend against it...of which an experimental one recently exploded, killing several scientists and technicians who were apparently involved in building an atomic rocket engine for said cruise missile...so THAT nation is objecting to our test?

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Amanaki said:

I find it natural that Russia and China complain about this missile test by US, because US always complain about Russia and China or North Korea when they have tested their weapons.

But maybe America think its ok for them,But not for the rest of the world to test weapons?

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Stevicus said:

Well, sure, other nations can test weapons, but that's all the more reason for us to test ours - just so we can show that ours is bigger.

In certain circles, it's called a "dick-waving contest."

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Wandering Monk said:

So, we should let the bad guys continue to believe that they have the edge? What if they get the idea that they could actually prevail in some theater or other? Doesn't this RAISE the chance of a conflict?

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