Posted on 03/18/2014 7:12:29 AM PDT by SoConPubbie
Sen. Ted Cruz is calling for the Obama administration to place missile installations in Eastern Europe in the wake of Russia’s moves in Ukraine.
The Washington Post reports the Texas Republican made the comments during an interview Monday.
"Beyond sanctions and aid to Ukraine, the most important thing we could be doing right now, with respect to Russia, is installing anti-ballistic missiles in Eastern Europe," Cruz said.
"Appeasement has not worked. After more than five years of being unwilling to stand up to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and Russian aggression, it is time for the United States to honor our commitments to our friends."
The proposal is not a new one. President Bush recommended the U.S. have missiles in Poland and the Czech Republic during his time in office, but in 2009 President Obama scratched the plan and instead focused on defending against threats from Iran.
And last year, the administration scrapped a proposal that would have deployed a missile shield in Eastern Europe.
Former Vice President Dick Cheney called for the U.S. to install weapons systems in Europe last week.
"Look, I’m encouraged the sanctions are moving forward, and I hope they can be implemented quickly, before Russian officials can move their assets," Cruz said in the Post story. "Any sign of admonition is encouraging. But it is not enough."
Crimea Sunday voted to secede from Ukraine and join Russia, a move that bolsters Russia’s military presence in the region — especially given the location of the Black Sea peninsula. The U.S. hit Russia with sanctions and promised more in the near future.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsmax.com ...
So what are our interests in Europe now? With the EU in place, they’ve pretty much told us to pack up and go home, and so we have. Seems to me that Ukraine is more their problem than ours—let them deal with the Russians.
Then Russia puts more missiles in Cuba.
Who are we to stop them? If we are doing the exact same thing?
It's always 1939 for the Pro War Crowd, always Munich. We cheer as outside agents foment a coup in Ukraine, and cry bloody murder when Russia won't put up with such nonsense on its doorstep. What do you think we would do if someone played that game in Mexico?
Yet we recognize the Muslim separatists in the heart of Serbia when they steal Kosovo, and then bomb the Serbs to cement the deal.
Sow the wind, reap the whirlwind.
Or we could stay the hell out. Let the EU take care of their own mess.
Cruz has just lost my vote. What is it with these neocons?
Obama is playing this right. In years ahead we will need Russia.
re: “Naturally, I love Cruz, but I disagree with him strongly here. What exactly is America’s strategic interest in Ukraine? Are we willing to risk war with the Rooskis, especially with our severely weakened military and woefully inept political leadership?”
I totally agree with you that our military is weakened and looks to be weakened even further by this administration.
However, this is not just about Ukraine. The strategic importance is - what happens if Putin decides to go beyond Ukraine? Is our security affected by this one solitary act? Maybe not, but we have to view this from Putin’s point of view. If he gets away with taking Ukraine with only “sanctions” and “letters of protest” - what possible lesson would Putin take from the West’s response to his actions in Ukraine?
And, what tyrant has ever been dissuaded from their ambitions by sanctions and official protests?
The enemy sets the rules of engagement. If the West does not respond with real military measures to increase it’s security, all the sanctions in the world will not protect them. Not open war, but preparedness - which the West and the U.S. has allowed to decay thinking that conventional warfare is obsolete.
I think Cruz is absolutely correct in putting the missile shield up NOW - as it should have been six years ago.
It’s always 1939 for the Pro War Crowd...
It is also important to know that the world was not as interdependent in 1939 or even 1963 as it is today. The ramifications are different.
Thank you. given enough time and enough rope, every member of Congress will eventually prove they are not in office for us the people, but for money, power, and other less seemly things. First Rubio, then Mike Lee, then Rand Paul and now Ted Cruz.
Yup.
Looks like Cruz has lost the Paulistiain isolationist vote.
Cruz missiles?
However, he is looking out for Russia' hegemonic interests by trying to rebuild the old Russian Empire. Whereas the Soviets were bent on world conquest and subjugation, Putin I believe just wants to dominate Europe and Russia's part of Asia. Unless he sets his sites on Alaska, I still fail to see how it is in our interest to confront him in his own back yard, when we're pretty much out of Europe now.
I'm beginning to wonder if any of them has good knowledge of world and US history. A lot of us are hoping for a smart, conservative politician who would not be falling for the globalist/elitist agenda.
If Cuba voted to join the US, what would Ted Cruz be saying about that?
Americans don’t do world history.
Cruz is correct. Problem is nobody believes Obama. So even if Obama listened and put missiles in Europe, the Russians would just laugh at it.
My only contention is that if we had a Republican president in the WH, we probably would never have gotten to this point.
Crimea is non of our business. You want you kid to kie fighting them fine, send him or her to fight with the EU, but as for mine, they will fight to defend the US, not European bankers.
I’d like to have Eastern Europe ask for our help first.
Then let them build one. I don't mind.
I’d like to have Eastern Europe ask for our help first.
They have. 3 countries invoked article 4 of the NATO treaty a few weeks ago.
Then the kenyan & merkel gave them the finger.
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