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Obama scraps Bush's European missile defense plan
AP on Yahoo ^ | 9/17/09 | Anne Gearan and Desmond Butler- ap

Posted on 09/17/2009 8:39:40 AM PDT by NormsRevenge

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama on Thursday shelved a Bush-era plan for an Eastern European missile defense plan that has been a major irritant in relations with Russia. He said a redesigned defensive system would be cheaper and more effective against the threat from Iranian missiles.

"Our new missile defense architecture in Europe will provide stronger, smarter and swifter defenses of American forces and America's allies," Obama said in an announcement from the White House. "It is more comprehensive than the previous program, it deploys capabilities that are proven and cost effective, and it sustains and builds upon our commitment to protect the U.S. homeland."

The missile defense system, planned under the Bush administration, was to have been built in the Czech Republic and Poland. Obama phoned Czech Prime Minister Jan Fischer Wednesday night and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk Thursday morning to alert them of his decision.

(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Government; Politics/Elections; Russia
KEYWORDS: european; missiledefense; obama; scraps
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1 posted on 09/17/2009 8:39:40 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
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The liberal East Coasters may thus qualify for a Darwin Award for electing this clown, because if Iran develops a nuke, it for sure won’t be launched in the direction of North Dakota.


2 posted on 09/17/2009 8:42:44 AM PDT by Behemoth the Cat
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To: NormsRevenge

Europe should take care of its own defense. Uncle Sap has to move on from being the world’s policeman.


3 posted on 09/17/2009 8:43:15 AM PDT by ex-snook ("Above all things, truth beareth away the victory.")
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To: NormsRevenge

How subtle ... Bush’s plan


4 posted on 09/17/2009 8:45:39 AM PDT by NonValueAdded ("The President has borrowed more money to spend to less effect than anybody on the planet. " Steyn)
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To: NormsRevenge

Nothing would motivate Europe more to defend themselves than if we stopped protecting them.

The welfare abroad foreign policy is getting old, and way too expensive.


5 posted on 09/17/2009 8:46:31 AM PDT by BGHater (Insanity is voting for Republicans and expecting Conservatism.)
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To: ex-snook
Yes, they should. And yes, we should. But until such a time as they are willing to do so it's not in our best interest to abandon them if it makes it more difficult for us to defend ourselves.

In many ways it won't matter if Obama remains in control long enough. Sooner or later we won't have the means or the ability to police anyone, including our own interests.

6 posted on 09/17/2009 8:46:45 AM PDT by jwparkerjr (God Bless America, and wake us up while you're about it!)
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To: NormsRevenge

This is nothing short of wicked and evil. Unbelievably shameful. The Marxists in the White House and the State Department have reversed everything we have worked for during the past nearly 30 years. The Eastern Europeans stuck their necks out, trusting us, and we have betrayed them shamefully. The Russians have promised nothing in return. We are negotiating against ourselves. This will not end well. I keep thinking of what happened at Yalta, and how we handed those poor people over to Stalin — who then went back on his part of the bargain and enslaved them for nearly half a century. For shame.


7 posted on 09/17/2009 8:47:13 AM PDT by La Lydia
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To: NormsRevenge

Did the tools at AP think to ask Obama what he received in return for this concession?


8 posted on 09/17/2009 8:47:40 AM PDT by skeeter (Pterocarya fraxinifolia)
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To: Behemoth the Cat
"if Iran develops a nuke, it for sure won’t be launched in the direction of North Dakota."

Don't bet on it!

If IRAN is smart they will leave the EAST/WEST (LEFT) Coasts alone. After the Read State territories are gone, What will Spielberg, Barbara Streisand and he hubby do? FART?

9 posted on 09/17/2009 8:48:33 AM PDT by wmileo (I miss Ronald Wilson Reagan. POTUS #40)
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To: NormsRevenge

See how much the Euros still love Obama when the Iranians start blackmailing them with threats of nuclear attacks.


10 posted on 09/17/2009 8:49:07 AM PDT by Iron Munro ("You can't kill the beast while sucking at its teat." - Claire Wolfe)
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To: BGHater

The closer deployment actually protected us better. I seem to recall that hitting an ICBM while it is still accelerating is easier than after it is reentering.


11 posted on 09/17/2009 8:49:50 AM PDT by Ingtar (Asses far Left of me; Rinos to the Left; FReepin' on the Right with you.)
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To: BGHater
Nothing would motivate Europe more to defend themselves than if we stopped protecting them.

That worked so well in 1914 and 1939.

12 posted on 09/17/2009 8:50:11 AM PDT by dfwgator
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To: ex-snook

I’m with you.


13 posted on 09/17/2009 8:50:26 AM PDT by Huck ("He that lives on hope will die fasting"- Ben Franklin, Poor Richard's Almanac)
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To: NormsRevenge

This is foolish and reckless. It tells Iran and Moscow, for certain, that a weakling is in charge at The White House. Nothing more, nothing less. I am sure they are all rejoicing at Mr. Obama’s backbone of jello.


14 posted on 09/17/2009 8:50:44 AM PDT by RexBeach
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To: NormsRevenge

As usual “the one” spun it as the opposite: that of enhancing US security and that of our few allies.


15 posted on 09/17/2009 8:51:20 AM PDT by luvbach1 (Worse than we could have imagined.)
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To: ex-snook
Read this explanation of the situation, and then I would like to talk about it.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2342024/posts

16 posted on 09/17/2009 8:51:25 AM PDT by La Lydia
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It’s not about defending Europe. The missile shield (intended) has two purposes:
1. Defend the West Coast urban areas from a North Korean attack (interceptors in Alaska).
2. Defend the East Coast against an Iranian missile threat.

Don’t believe? Start Google Earth and connect respective launch sites and targets, account for some response time, and this will give you the preferred sites for the interceptors: Alaska and Poland/Czech Republic.


17 posted on 09/17/2009 8:51:40 AM PDT by Behemoth the Cat
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To: dfwgator
That worked so well in 1914 and 1939.

Europe was on BOTH sides of that one. We were defending Europe from Europe!

18 posted on 09/17/2009 8:51:56 AM PDT by Huck ("He that lives on hope will die fasting"- Ben Franklin, Poor Richard's Almanac)
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To: Iron Munro

Most Euros like anything they perceive as weakening the US.


19 posted on 09/17/2009 8:53:10 AM PDT by luvbach1 (Worse than we could have imagined.)
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To: NormsRevenge
Photobucket

Map via the Federation of American Scientists.

20 posted on 09/17/2009 8:54:48 AM PDT by yefragetuwrabrumuy
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