Russian shield warning aimed at Europe: Pentagon

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Moscow's threat to respond with military means if the United States deploys a missile defense shield close to its borders is meant to make Washington's European partners nervous, the Pentagon said on Tuesday, calling Russia's warning "bellicose rhetoric."

"I can only assume Russia's bellicose rhetoric is designed to make Europeans nervous about participating in this system, but that won't work," said Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell.

Morrell said the proposed European missile defense system posed no threat to Russia and that Moscow's weapons arsenal would easily overwhelm the shield.

Washington says the system is meant to counter a perceived emerging missile threat from Iran. The shield would include a tracking radar in the Czech Republic, which agreed to the installation on Tuesday, and interceptor missiles in Poland. Warsaw has not yet agreed to the plan.

"They are aimed at protecting Europe from Iranian ballistic missiles and would be no match for Russia's huge arsenal," Morrell said of the interceptor missiles.

He said Washington hoped Russia would reconsider its position and "instead join with us to construct a protective umbrella that would shield all our citizens from missile threats."

(Reporting by Kristin Roberts; Editing by Sandra Maler)