9月30日，韓國當局不顧國內外持續強烈反對，宣布將星州高爾夫球場作為部署“薩德”反導系統的新地點，橫心要將其部署到底。美國軍方隨後宣稱要加快在韓部署“薩德”，表示這“無庸置疑”，“已成定局”。美韓此舉給亞洲火藥庫朝鮮半島熾熱的緊張局勢火上澆油，並將引發大國對抗，這是朝鮮戰爭結束以來危害半島和東北亞地區和平穩定空前嚴重的惡性事件。

美韓口口聲聲說部署“薩德”是為了對付朝鮮核武器和導彈對韓國的嚴重威脅。但所謂“朝鮮威脅”是一個偽命題。美韓與朝鮮究竟誰威脅誰，是不難分辨的。論經濟實力，朝鮮無法與韓國相比。論軍事實力，美韓已融為一體，加上日本作幫凶，它們的實力超過朝鮮不知多少倍。它們還堅持敵視朝鮮，以更換其政權為目標。在這種情況下，誰威脅誰，誰對對方的威脅更大更嚴重，明如觀火。朝鮮發展核武器無疑是錯誤的，但在某種意義上看，是美國逼出來的。朝擁核和聲稱要先發制人摧毀對方，實質上是弱者一種虛張聲勢的防禦姿態，這對韓國和駐韓美軍確是一種威脅，但這種威脅主要是威懾性與心理性的，其要“摧毀”對方云云只是放空炮。朝鮮作為弱方不可能先發制人進行南侵，因為南侵對它而言無異自毀。

美韓還口口聲聲說，美國在韓部署“薩德”只針對朝鮮而不針對中國和俄羅斯。這實在是此地無銀三百兩。虛言掩蓋不了真相。“薩德”的探測距離最遠可達2000公里，攔截高度介於大氣層內40公里以上至大氣層外150公里之間。其性能和功能決定它主要用於監控和打擊中遠程彈道導彈，對中國腹地和俄遠東地區的戰略武器系統構成實實在在的直接威脅，而對攔截只能打擊韓國境內目標的朝鮮短程導彈效用很小甚至為零。司馬昭之心路人皆知。美在韓部署“薩德”矛頭直指中俄是不言而喻的事實。

美國把中俄視為它稱霸世界的主要障礙，將它們定為主要戰略對手與防範遏制的主要對象。發展全球反導系統，消除中俄戰略核威懾力，是美國對中俄實現遏制目標的核心手段。它以防範伊朗和朝鮮導彈威脅為借口，在東歐和韓國部署先進的反導系統，就是要對中俄戰略核力量進行抵近監控和在必要時進行抵近攔截，以從根本上廢掉其功能，確保它對中俄的絕對戰略力量優勢，使它擁有“我可以摧毀你，你不能摧毀我”的終極能力，為獨霸世界掃清最後障礙。美國在東歐和韓國這樣做，不僅破壞了地區與全球戰略力量平衡和世界和平與穩定的基礎，還企圖為謀取霸權而拿中俄的國家安全以至獨立與主權當“人質”，把中俄置於其掌控之下。其用心良苦，但美夢難圓。

韓國在“薩德”事件中扮演了不光彩的角色。它打着守衛國家安全和國民生命的幌子，自願引進“薩德”，犯了一個時代錯誤。實際上，只要它不北犯，朝鮮就不會南侵。它受美國強大的常規和戰略武器的雙重保護，國家安全不成問題，它所以這樣做，是受冷戰思維影響，不惜把自己綁在美國亞太戰略的戰車上，充當其遏制中俄戰略的工具。韓國當局不但堅持錯誤做法，態度還越來越強硬。最近韓國國防部長公然聲稱，如果中俄用導彈打擊韓國“薩德”部署地，韓國將用美國的反導系統予以擊落。韓方發出與俄中對抗的信號，表明其一心要走引“薩德”入韓的不歸路。韓國為美國火中取栗，難免引火上身，充當美國遏制中俄的“槍手”，終將化為炮灰。韓國這樣做是拿本國安全與發展的全局利益作賭注，拿國家的命運作賭注，這不是安邦保民之道，而是禍國害民之行，是極不明智的。

中俄面對美韓赤裸裸的戰略挑釁行為，顯示了保衛國家戰略安全利益不容妥協的堅定態度，不僅分別作出了嚴正反應，還將作為全面戰略協作夥伴採取必要的合作應對行動。在中俄共同反制下，美國“薩德”入韓的險惡圖謀是不會得逞的。

當前中俄與美韓在“薩德”入韓問題上形成的對立局面完全是美韓引起的。這種局面如發展下去可能造成雙方都難以承受的後果。現在危機局面尚有轉圜餘地，這就是美韓收回在韓國部署“薩德”的成命。如此，中俄與美韓的對立關係就會松解，中俄與韓國關係就會柳暗花明，東北亞的緊張局勢就會緩和。這是各方的幸事。

The South Korean government, in defiance of strong opposition at home and abroad, announced on Sept 30 the choice of a private golf course in Seongju as the new site for the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile-defense system. The US military also said it would speed up the THAAD deployment, describing it as “done deal”. The deployment decision by the US and South Korea would further escalate the tensions on the Korean Peninsula and would likely trigger confrontations between major counties. The deployment move is a vicious plan that would endanger peace and stability on the peninsula and Northeast Asia region.

Washington and Seoul repeatedly have argued that the deployment of the THAAD system is to deter the “serious threat” from North Korean nuclear weapons and missiles. In fact, the so-called “threat from North Korea” is a kind of cooked-up topic. It should not be a difficult question to answer: Who is the threat -- the US and South Korea to North Korea, or vice versa? In terms of economic power, North Korea is certainly of no match to South Korea. As far as military power is concerned, the US and South Korea are in a military alliance, and with Japan as a supplement, their combined military power is overwhelmingly superior to that of North Korea. They also stick to the policy of hostility towards North Korea, with an ultimate goal of regime change. Under such circumstances, it is self-evident who represents the threat.North Korea's pursuit for nuclear weapons is a wrong move, but in some sense, it was the US that has driven North Korea onto the road of nuclear weapon development. North Korea's move to possess nuclear weapons and claims of “pre-emptive” strike to eliminate the enemies are, in essence, a kind of bluffing and defensive postures of the underdog. If this could be considered a threat to South Korea and US military stationed in South Korea, it's more or less psychological, and North Korea's claim of destroying the enemies is nothing but blowing hot air. North Korea, as the weaker side, could not possibly “invade the South” in a pre-emptive way, because it knows that doing so will spell its own destruction.

The US and South Korea defended their decision on the THAAD deployment decision time and again, claiming it only targets at North Korea, not China or Russia. This is a trick they played to fool the others and the world. The radar detection distance of the THAAD system could easily reach 2,000 kilometers, its interception altitude ranges between 40 kilometers within and 150 kilometers outside the atmosphere. The capabilities and functions of the THAAD system mean that it is mainly to track and intercept medium- and long-range ballistic missiles, and poses real and direct threat to the strategic weapon systems in China's hinterlands and Russia's Far East regions. On the contrary, the THAAD has little or no effect in intercepting North Korea's short-range missiles. So the real motives of the US and South Korea for the THAAD deployment are self-evident: It aims at China and Russia.

The US has been considering China and Russia as major obstacles to its drive for global hegemony, and therefore has regarded China and Russia as its strategic rivals and major containment targets. The US' main method is to develop the global anti-missile systems in an attempt to mitigate the threat of missiles from China and Russia, ultimately by achieving its goal of containing China and Russia. By using deterrence against missile threats from Iran and North Korean as excuses, the US deployed and is to deploy advanced anti-missile systems in Eastern Europe and South Korea. Through deployment of the advanced systems at the doorsteps of Russia and China, it is meant to perform close-in tracking of the Chinese and Russian strategic nuclear power, and to intercept when necessary in an attempt to guarantee US absolute strategic superiority over China and Russia. Ultimately, it would want to coerce China and Russia to yield to its pressure and clear the last hurdles on its way to dominate the world. The US moves in Eastern Europe and South Korea not only undermine the regional and global strategic power balance and the foundation of world peace and stability, but also attempt to sacrifice the national security of China and Russia. This is a well-choreographed plan of the US, but it may never succeed.

As far as the THAAD deployment is concerned, South Korea played a disgraceful role. South Korea, in the name of “defending its national security and the safety of its citizens”, voluntarily agreed to the US deployment of the THAAD system in the country. This is a grave error. Under dual protection of the powerful US conventional and strategic weapons, the national security of South Korea is not at risk. Under the influence of a Cold War mentality, however, it still invites the US to deploy the THAAD system on its soil, volunteers to jump on the chariot of the US Asia-Pacific strategy, and acts to be a pawn in the US strategy in containing China and Russia. Furthermore, the South Korean government also played tough on the THAAD deployment. South Korean Defense Minister Han Min-goo said that if Chinese or Russian missiles are fired at the THAAD deployment sites, South Korea would use the US anti-missile systems to shoot down the incoming Russian or Chinese missiles, sending signals of readiness for confrontation with China and Russia. When South Korea acts as a cat's paw for the US, it will inevitably get hurt, and when South Korea plays the role of a surrogate for the US in containing China and Russia, it is an invitation to self-destruction – a road to disaster and certainly not a wise move.

China and Russia, in the face of undisguised strategic challenges from the US and South Korea, also showed their uncompromising and firm attitude in defending their national strategic security interests. They not only made solemn responses to the challenges, but also vowed to take necessary joint actions within the framework of their comprehensive strategic partnership.

The confrontation regarding the deployment of the THAAD system might lead to unbearable consequences if the situation gets worse. At present, there is still room for maneuvering to defuse the confrontation, which demands the US and South Korea abandon their THAAD deployment plan. Then, the confrontational situation would be eased, and so will the tense situation in Northeast Asia. For all parties involved, this should be the most desirable solution.