Posted on 09/17/2009 9:21:56 AM PDT by Steelfish
September 17, 2009
Dismay In Europe As Obama Ditches Missile Defence
Philippe Naughton and Tony Halpin in Moscow
President Obama dismayed America's allies in Europe and angered his political opponents at home today when he formally ditched plans to set up a missile defence shield in Poland and the Czech Republic.
The project had been close to the heart of Mr Obama's predecessor, President Bush, who had argued before leaving office in January that it was needed to defend against long-range ballistic missile attacks from rogue states such as Iran and North Korea.
But it had hobbled relations with Russia, which considered it both a security threat and an unnecessary political provocation in its own backyard.
At a White House appearance today, Mr Obama confirmed that the defence shield envisaged by the Bush Administration, involving a radar base in the Czech Republic and interceptor rockets sited in Poland, was being abandoned.
Instead, after a comprehensive review, he had decided to accept the advice of both the Defence Secretary, Robert Gates, and of the Chiefs of Staff opt for a "smarter, stronger and swifter" system involving both sea-based and land-based mobile interceptors.
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
He can’t be the anti-Christ. He’s got half of this country pissed off and definitely NOT snake-charmed. The anti-Christ would have fooled 95% of the world by now. This moron has only fooled half of the country (the consistently-stupid half).
Btttt, didn’t Onada tell us he was uniter not a divider? Surely the Europeans have it all wrong.
I lived in Communist Poland, 1981-83, during the days of Solidarnosc'. What people may not understand is that the Obama decision to abort the missile defense system goes beyond just military considerations. One of the reasons the Poles wanted the ABM defense system installed on its soil was the political statement it made to the Russians. Essentially, it said that the US was committed to the long term defense of Poland and the missile system was tangible proof of that fact.
Obama and others don't understand the political implications of this decision, which will have an impact throughout Eastern Europe and the Baltics. It sends a very bad signal to the Russians who are desireous of recapturing the power and influence of the Soviet Union.
Obama has made the US look very weak. Look for other countries to test this weakness, including China, Iran, and North Korea.
I disagree with only one point you raised. IMO Obama understands fully the political implications of this decision. He chose to announce it seventy years to the day after the Soviets invaded Poland in order to make it abundantly clear that he has deliberately chosen to abandon the Poles to the tender mercies of the Communist Soviets.
During the campaign, Obama and eager willing accomplices in the media sought to keep under wraps who he was and what he believed. Since taking office, he has been showing his true colors, and the color is red.
BS
“Spare me”?
Simply pointing out that this is not the first time the feds have done something profoundly stupid on a particularly inappropriate day.
No, there's no other way to explain it.
We have a former KGB agent, Putin, running the country.
So.., the first Bush president was director of the CIA.
He has cracked down on the press and put in place other restrictions on liberty.
If it was like our MSM, good. Do they have a McCain-Finegold law?
The Russians are building the Iranian nuclear plant and they will be selling anti-aircraft missile defense systems to the Iranians. They have also said that they will not agree to any additional economic sanctions against Iran.
Lot of hearsay, all the facts are not on the table IMHO.
And then there is the matter of Georgia and Ukraine.
Two trouble making countries supported by the UN to antagonize Russia on its' borders
Upshot...We are dealing with a new Russia and should take advantage of it. W started to, but then balked, and then screwed it all up. I hope Obama does better and IMO is going in the right direction with this decision. I love my country more than I hate Obama.
Why did you shrink his ears so much??
you can’t be stunned if you paid any attention to this guy’s history during the campaign (of course....most of you weren’t)
If his direction is to move on from Uncle Sap being world policeman, then full-speed ahead. We're broke.
Sorry . Your post didn’t register with me. esp (we’re broke?)
I know. I think someone should photoshop some elephant ears onto that image on the sign.
I still believe that General Jones, (USMC), Obama’s NSC Chief, is still a patriot. That he would go along with this is inexplicable to me.
Poland is a member of NATO. Article 5 of the Treaty still applies.
Are you equating the CIA with the KGB? There is no moral equivalency. The KGB is pure evil just like the Nazi SS or the East German Stasi.
If it was like our MSM, good. Do they have a McCain-Finegold law?
Some more silliness. McCain-Feingold was passed by Congress and signed by the President. It is now being challenged in SCOTUS. The Russians don't use a democratic process to crack down on dissidents.
Lot of hearsay, all the facts are not on the table IMHO.
What do you dispute. It is no secret that the Russains are responsible for the construction of Iran's nuclear reactor. There is no disputing that Russia is selling Iran arms including an anti-aircraft missile defense system.
Upshot...We are dealing with a new Russia and should take advantage of it. W started to, but then balked, and then screwed it all up. I hope Obama does better and IMO is going in the right direction with this decision. I love my country more than I hate Obama.
You don't have a clue as to what is going on in Russia. They are not our friends, especially Putin. Obama's decision is more woolly thinking. I prefer Reagan's trust but verify relationship. You really are nuts.
Article 5 of the Treaty is a series of words. Central Europe has seen firsthand how ineffective mere words are when dealing with a foreign aggressor.
Taking away the missile shield and leaving only words is, in a very realistic sense, abandonment. That is especially true when one considers to what degree the new President has failed to establish credibility.
I’m sorry, but your example of using what happened to the Branch Davidians and what this administration has just done to two VERY important international allies, just didn’t make sense to me.
Great bumper sticker.
I wouldn't make the assumption that Zer0 and others don't understand the implications.
Lots of people are being thrown under the bus these days.
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