Posted on 09/17/2009 7:09:46 AM PDT by balls
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration plans to announce on Thursday that it will scrap former President George W. Bush’s planned missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic and instead deploy a reconfigured system aimed more at intercepting shorter-range Iranian missiles, according to people familiar with the plans.
President Obama decided not to deploy a sophisticated radar system in the Czech Republic or 10 ground-based interceptors in Poland, as Mr. Bush had planned. Instead, the new system his administration is developing would deploy smaller SM-3 missiles, at first aboard ships and later probably either in southern Europe or Turkey, those familiar with the plans said.
The White House will announce the decision Thursday morning and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, who was first appointed by Mr. Bush, will then discuss it with reporters at 10:30 a.m. It amounts to one of the biggest national security reversals by the new administration, one that will upset Czech and Polish allies and possibly please Russia, which adamantly objected to the Bush plan. But Obama administration officials stressed that they are not abandoning missile defense, only redesigning it to meet the more immediate Iranian threat.
“The way forward enhances our homeland defense and protects our forces abroad as well as our European allies,” said an administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid upstaging the announcement by Mr. Gates. “Our review has been driven by an updated intelligence assessment of Iran’s missile programs and new advances in our missile defense capabilities and technologies.”
Administration officials said the Bush missile defense architecture was better designed to counter potential long-range missiles by Iran, but recent tests and intelligence have indicated that Tehran is moving more rapidly toward developing short- and medium-range missiles.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
“intercepting them anywhere along the trajectory”
Good point. And from what ive read, the boost phase is best, slowest, and brightest, so to speak. Space phase it’s lots tougher, then re-entry is a little easier again.
Boost is always best if you can. Obozo gave that away, pleased the Russians and Iranians, betrayed the Poles and Czechs, all in one move. What a guy.
I think Putin liked Bush. Of course, they were never buddies but at least Putin respected Bush and realized he couldn’t be bullied.
He understands Obama also. Thus the contempt.
Mr. Wright...you are preaching to the choir.
Jesse Jackson let slip one time that he wanted cut Obama’s ‘boys’ off. He would have been sadly disappointed to find out someone beat him to it.
Maybe. It seems to me we can't defend everybody. There must be priorities. Why shouldn't Europe defend itself? What have they done for us lately?
it may be your last chance!
70 Years ago, today, Russia/Communists invaded Poland.
Soviet invasion of Poland - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
Prelude|Military campaign|Allied reaction|Aftermath
The 1939 Soviet invasion of Poland was a military operation that started without a formal declaration of war on 17 September 1939, during the early stages of World War II, sixteen days after the beginning of the Nazi German...
wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_invasion_of_Poland
Well, the new configuration is designed to defend Europe, so you should be ok with it. I personally don’t see why Europe can’t defend itself. Why should we spend money we don’t have to defend them? Let em build their own shield.
You are hereby directed to assign all potential evacuees to one of two categories: supports or does not support missile defense. Supporters will board one set of helicopters and be taken to the designated shelter facilities; non-supporters will board specially modified helicopters and be dumped into the crater. It is a more merciful death than that they'd sustain in the hands of the survivors. Carry on.
Obama has also said that he will stay out of any Ukrainian elections next year, which will mean that Russia will have Ukraine back in its orbit.
What could be more idiotic and masochistic than to oppose missile defense? This opposition cannot be understood unless one dispenses with its rhetoric and rationales and realizes that these folks at their emotional core do not want their country defended.
Excellent.
The best time to intercept is close to launch. A CONUS-based shield would be best suited to defend against Hugo.
TREASON!
At this time “to defend the Czechs and the Poles” isn’t the question. The United States felt that this was the best defense against Iran......until Russia entered into the discussion. Russia didn’t want missle defence in those countries so our President went along with there wishes. That is what is important here.
I was a Foreign Service Officer for 28 years. Later means probably a very long time from now, if ever. No matter how Obama tries to disguise it, this is a capitulation to the Russians.
navsats, and fighters with missiles are useless against an ICBM. Obama was owned, plain and simple. This wasnt a defense of Europe game. It was only about defending DC and NYC.
Also, our best most solid allies are the eastern Euros. They went out on a limb for us, despite heavy pressure from Russia. So we leave em hanging for nothing in return. Going to be fun next time we need to talk them into something. Obama isn’t some defense maven, he is an anti-defense communist, and this decision of his fits that template.
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