Posted on 05/23/2006 3:49:51 AM PDT by MadIvan
THE United States is considering establishing a missile defence system in Europe designed to stop a ballistic threat from the Middle East, the Pentagon said last night.
A spokesman said they had been in discussions with European allies, including Poland, for several years about putting ten anti-missile interceptors in place.
The New York Times reported that the system was intended to thwart a potential attack from Iran and that the US wanted it in place by 2011. The Czech Republic is also reported to be among the nations under consideration for the system's location.
According to unnamed Pentagon officials a recommendation is expected to be made this summer to Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.
The Pentagon has reportedly asked Congress for $56 million (£30 million) to begin initial work on the site, and the final cost is estimated at $1.6 billion (£850 million).
A Defence Department spokesman confirmed that talks were ongoing, with Poland among various countries involved, but he would not name others individually or specify where in the Middle East the threat was perceived to come from.
"The deployment of ballistic missile defence (BMD) systems to Europe would make a significant contribution to the protection of the US and European allies from a Middle Eastern ballistic missile threat," said Lieutenant Commander Joe Carpenter.
"The US has been examining the feasibility of fielding BMD assets in Europe for several years.
"Beginning in 2002, we've held consultations with a number of our allies about their willingness to host interceptors, including Poland."
He said the US expects to continue these consultations in the coming weeks and months with countries which had expressed interest.
"The Department of Defence is currently collecting and evaluating information from a variety of sources prior to making a decision on whether to move forward with placing additional ballistic missile defence assets in Europe.
"No decision has been made about whether and where to field missile defence assets in Europe, although we are taking the steps necessary to make a recommendation to the Secretary of Defence."
Lieutenant Commander Joe Carpenter added that besides a site for the interceptors, radars to track any attack would also be needed, and they could be based on a separate site.
Washington believes Iran is using its civilian nuclear program as a cover to produce nuclear weapons, but Iran insists that it is only for power generation.
Regards, Ivan
Ping!
Just Europe?
When will Europeans get to start paying for their own self-defense?
We should shield only our Eastern European friends and military areas. The rest can rely on their own governments.
What a waste of money and a show of weakness. It would take much less money to simply eradicate the threat and it would also send an important message to the middle east.
Let them put up their own shield.
We are going to protect their sorry weenie behinds so they can tell us how bad we are?
If they would actually DO something to stop the problem from happening, I might feel differently but their handwringing is disingenuous...they are allowing the Iranians to proceede...they can protect themselves from the "fallout".
............The Pentagon has reportedly asked Congress for $56 million (£30 million) to begin initial work on the site, and the final cost is estimated at $1.6 billion (£850 million).. ........
Who pays, the US taxpayer ?
Wouldn't a few tactical nukes dropped on Iranian nuclear sites be more cost effective ?
That would make avery other despot lunatic dictator pay attention.
How about sanctions on Iran, then start an oil for food business and use the proceeds / profits to pay for the shield ????
We're to put a shield over Europe ? because they like us ? and the shield protecting the United States is tested, installed and complete ?
PLLEEAASSEEEEEEE
missile shields are useless... placebo
re-fighting the last war
No self respecting middle eastern islamotyranny would not be so foolish as to launch a nuke missile that can be traced back to them by a smoke trail.
If there is a nuclear attack it will come with a shaheed, a 18yr old kid with a rag tied around his forehead driving in a toyota SUV. The beefed up shock absorbers sagging with the weight as he parks it outside of a popular landmark, shouts 'allah ackbar' and then detonates a nuclear bomb.
From an onlookers viewpoint, we will have no idea for months where that weapon originated or what chain of events brought it there. Most of the evidence will be destroyed in the blast.
So against whom will you retaliate?
Will there be sufficient evidence to mullify the anti-war crowd?
How many milliseconds before the Act Now to Stop War and End Racism (A.N.S.W.E.R.) crowd starts protesting against the possible retaliation?
Who will have the political capital to pursue those who launched the weapon?
Will the United Nations again protect the perpetrators?
The solution to the problems we face today wont come from a technological shield. We refuse to face the reality and the gravity of the situation in which we find ourselves. We will be like Winston Churchill...
1) "If you will not fight for the right when you can easily win without bloodshed.
2) If you will not fight when your victory will be sure and not so costly
3) you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance for survival.
There may be a worse case.
4) You may have to fight when there is no chance of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves."
Winston Churchill
Will you dispute that we are not in the third step on Churchills descent of the Free World into oblivion? What kind of world shall rise from the ashes!?
(I'll prolly be in a better mood after some coffee)
Poor Eastern Europe is going to require protection from their west with the Islamic Republic of Eurabia rising.
Maybe we'll need a new iron curtain--this time to keep the Socialist Islamic Republic of West Europe out of East Europe.
To fight a defensive war only means to lose and be destroyed. Any historical instance of this being wrong?
Its all about boost phase with Russian/Iranian ICBM's. The same with china/North korea. Thats why we have antimissile batteries planned for Japan.
Look at a globe, not a flat map....
It's a sad statement.
Already years ago as the threat of TBMs etc was growing the US planned this. Years ago while planning and in the US infrastructure was being built, in Germany you had a Gerhard Schroeder playing the bash the US game. He actually accused the US of "destabilizing" and creating a new "arms race" with our missile defense shield.
Yet this same German chancellor insured Germany was a part member in the MEADS program (Intended for TBM defense) and under this government Germany procured several hundred PAC 3 missiles for Patriot (Intended for TMB defense).
But it gets even better. While the Germans are ripping their mouth open and talking in their talk shows about the hegemony and imperialistic US and this new danger because of the Americans unilateral new arms race, THEY insure that when the US does build this system that it is integrated within NATO and they TOO are under it’s protection.
Must I remind anyone here that this was also the German chancellor who played the "I'm against the Iraq war" card; the same administration which highlighted every error or bad news in Iraq?
Not all Germans are like this. I myself am of German origin and I have met many who were great people. A few post here. But the administration of Schroeder and Fischer was well summed up with the famous quote: “Axis of weasels”.
Today with Merkel in power the situation has “normalized”. You no longer have a second rate RAF lawyer, some hippy peace nick, and their clan of merry socialists in government playing cheap political voter chasing games with Western security interests. Unfortunately few Germans remember their idiotic position of nuclear deterrence in the Cold War, and few will remember their stupid position on Missile Defense just 6 years ago. When push comes to shove, those same idiots who protested against us, slandered us, will “demand” that we help protect them. That’s a sad statement about the state of things in Germany.
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