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 ...
And I am all for supporting the former Warsaw Pact countries as they defend themselves. I would love to see NATO take a lead in this as well. What I don't see the logic behind is spending billions of dollars of our money on a missile system that does not defend us, only others. Which those we would be defending don't want enough to spend their own money on. And which the people in those countries don't want as well. Cruz wants to send a message to the Russians, I understand that. But what kind of message is being sent by acting alone without the support of the people most threatened by Russia, building a system that will take years to complete?
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.
Is a shooting war with Russia in a NATO country also “none of our business”? Keep your head in the sand all you want but that is where this is headed. Soon.
But he did it with the rest of NATO in lock step with him. He had the full support of our allies. Cruz will not. Europe doesn't want the missile system, Cruz isn't going to change that. They will not put forth dollar one to defend themselves from Russian missiles, and I'm not willing to spend billions to do it for them. So I'm sorry, pissing off Vladimir Putin is not enough to justify spending tens of billions of dollars on a missile defense system that will not make us one iota safer from Russian nukes.
Interesting.
What, exactly did they ask for ?
.... HA!!! .... Cruz Missiles ... sorry couldn’t resist.
NATO failed miserably in Afghanistan. What makes you think that it would do any better against the Russians?
All NATO did since the end of the Cold War is break up Yugoslavia.
In their current state, I don't. But Europe has the most to lose from Putin's aggressions. If Europe won't defend themselves they why should we spend our money to do it for them?
It is interesting times we live in.
I would “enjoy” following this if this was happening somewhere else, not in Ukraine.
Wake me when it gets to that point. Putin isn't that stupid.
I like this guy but this nonsense has to stop.
Then maybe they need to stop poking the bear?
You are not putin. Neither an I. Neither of us is Cruz, either. We are operating on a completely different paradigm than either of them. We are both at a severe disadvantage.
That said, the same could be said of us when Obama makes a decision. But, then, he has a track record that exposes all we need to know.
Do you want to go to war with Russia over a vote taken to secede in Crimea?
re: “Well, I think that there is broad misunderstanding of what Putin is about and what he is up to.”
But, that is the problem. We don’t know exactly what he is up to.
If we look weak, it is bad for everyone. We look and act weak. We are weakened. A response to Putin is probably going to be too little, too late whatever we do.
If it were just Ukraine, that’s one thing, but there are a lot of bad people out there who have just seen demonstrated that we are a paper tiger. We are no longer the dominant power in the world. That vacuum will be filled by someone.
bkmk
How does this play in Peoria?
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