Czech bid for US missile base

BBC ^ | 18 July 2006

[Grzegorz 246]

American military experts have arrived in the Czech Republic to examine potential sites for a new missile defence base.

During a week-long mission they will inspect three training military grounds.

The United States is said to be considering either the Czech Republic, Poland or Hungary for the base.

Its purpose will be to shoot down long-range missiles before they reach their targets in the US or Europe.

The visit of the 22 American experts is the last stage in two-year long talks between defence officials of both countries, the deputy spokesman of the Defence Ministry in Prague, Jan Pejsek, told the BBC's News website.

It is part of the new security strategy adopted by the Czech government in 2004, he said.

American military experts have already been in Poland and are expected to go on a similar fact-finding mission in Hungary, the deputy spokesman said.

Purely technical

Czech authorities have stressed that the purpose of the nature of the visit is purely technical, and any decision to locate an anti-missile base would be a political one.

The base, designed to neutralise a missile attack on either the US or Europe, would employ up to 1,000 people, and though controversial, would bring substantial economic benefits to the host country.

However, the Czech Republic's chances to win the contract for the base are being damaged by the ongoing political stalemate, BBC's Rob Cameron reports.

It's seven weeks since inconclusive parliamentary elections and there's still no new government in Prague. With a decision on the new base due in September, time is running out.

[Grzegorz 246]

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[divine_moment_of_facts]

Wonder what the Electric bill would be.

[Rummyfan]

Well..... Czech and Polish women can be quite stunning. Not so sure about Hungarians....

[horse_doc]

If they pick the site based on beer, the Czechs win, hands down.

And it is probably as good a tie-breaker as any . . .

[GeorgefromGeorgia]

I lived in Germany for 4 years and traveled to several countries, including Poland, then Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Italy, Austria, France, Switzerland, etc.
Italy is my favorite country-irrestpective of the beauty of the women. The surprise was in Yugoslavia (now Slovenia and Croatia). The women there were special. Hungarian people tend to be a little more swarthy than the Poles, Czechs and former Yugoslavia. They call themselve Magyars. Their ancestors came from what is now Mongolia (of course as they moved West, they became more European). The other countries in Eastern Europe are Slavic and the closer to Austria and Germany, the more the people look like Germans. The more eastern you go, the more they look like Russians (of course Russians have a strong influence from the Nordic countries, but there is more of an Asian influence the farther east you go.

My Dauaghter-in-Law is Belorussian from Minsk and is very attractive, as are the young ladies that are in her photos (friends). Belorussians are called White Russians since they have more blonds than in Russia.

[justshutupandtakeit]

I thought this meant the Czechs' were going to buy one. LoL

[GSlob]

"Well..... Czech and Polish women can be quite stunning."
You are misguidedly looking in the wrong direction. Czech BEER!

[DTA]

Czech beer or Polish women? Tough choice. Even vice versa. I hope the final decision for the missile site will be made based on missile trajectory estimation.

[massgopguy]

This should pop a blood vessel in Putin's brain.

[ops33]

Budwar, the best beer in the world!!

[Lukasz]

Belorussians are called White Russians since they have more blonds than in Russia.

Interesting theory but very wrong. Belarus does NOT means "White Russia" but "White Rus". Their people should be called Belarusians. Foreigners who have not enough knowledge about history of the region often confuse Rus and Russia, two diffrent names. Also Russian nationalists pushing this wrong name from well known reasons.

http://www.pravapis.org/art_white_russia.as http://www.pravapis.org/art_belarusian_adjective.asp

[GeorgefromGeorgia]

Interesting, since my Daughter-in-Law, who is Belarussian is the one that told me this.

[Lukasz]

They were washbrained by Tsarist and later communist propaganda. Most of them speaks only Russian, so it is not suprise for me. Lukashenko is not the one who will give them honest historic education.

[GeorgefromGeorgia]

Interesting. My Daughter-in-Law is very intelligent with a college degree. She is fluent in four languages. She seems to be very apolitical and does not understand our keen interest in politics. I think many of the people there are like that since under the Soviet Union, taking a political stand was severely discouraged. Also, she has little interest in history, but seems interested when I bring up some history like the Lithuanian-Polish Confederation which included Belarus and Ukraine for three hundred years.

[redhead]

"Budwar, the best beer in the world!!"

When we were in "Czech Country," Minnesota, we enjoyed "Rebel," and I believe Budwar comes from my husban's family's native area, Cesky Budjeyvice. Just talking about these beers is making my mouth water...

[redhead]

"Cesky Budjeyvice..."

Oops. I think that should be spelled "Ceske." My apologies to any Czech nationals on the list...

[ops33]

It is sold in this country as Czechwar but it may be hard to find.

[redhead]

I think it is available in some of the larger liquor stores in Alaska. In Minn., it was easy to find. But Czech beer is the benchmark, as far as I'm concerned...