[Pyro7480]

"...directed against Iran..."

No bias here, eh? If it is a defensive system, how can it be "directed" against anyone?

[Support Free Republic]

LOOK! Another Freeper Just Gave To The Cause! WAY TO GO!
	We Salute Free Republic's Donors! Be one! Donate Here By Secure Server Or mail checks to FreeRepublic , LLC PO BOX 9771 FRESNO, CA 93794 or you can use PayPal at Jimrob@psnw.com
STOP BY AND BUMP THE FUNDRAISER THREAD- It is in the breaking news sidebar!

[DCBryan1]

U.S. wants defensive missile system in Europe against Iran

Sounds like a good idea.....
...as long as they leave a nice loophole and a wide corridor leaving France open to attack.

Death to Frogs!

nuff said.

[DCBryan1]

U.S. wants defensive missile system in Europe against Iran

Sounds like a good idea.....
...as long as they leave a nice loophole and a wide corridor leaving France open to attack.

Death to Frogs!

nuff said.

[per loin]

Are there no men left in Europe willing to defend it? I see no reason for the US government to spend taxpayer money paying for what the Europeans could pay for themselves.

[Centurion2000]

The U.S. government is sounding out the possibility of bilateral agreements with European countries to allow stationing of a defensive missile system directed against Iran,

I'm sure that it could be re-aimed in a matter of seconds to knock down any interesting ballistic missiles launched from within Europe as well.

[FreedomPoster]

Sounds like BS. If you're worried about Iran vs. Europe or the U.S., it seems to me that all you'd need would be Turkey, in order to get a missle in the boost phase.

[jpl]

Oh boy. Sounds to me like our government is pretty much resigned to member 2 of the Axis of Evil becoming a long-range nuclear power. Under the Bush Doctrine, we should be directly attacking them in order to prevent this from ever happening.

[monkeywrench]

Can the Europeans afford it? Or is this another 'on the breaking backs of the American taxpayer' type free ride?

[TastyManatees]

I don't see a problem with this. Sell this system's protection to the European countries that are willing to pick up the tab for their own defense.

Tasty Manatees

[tractorman]

I don’t buy it.
If we’re worried about Iranian missiles we could set up anti-missile assets in Iraq.

[Prodigal Son]

Here's some more on this (probably where Drudge is getting his info):

US 'mulls Iran defence missiles' (source- News.com.au)

From correspondents in Berlin October 10, 2003

THE US government is considering stationing defensive missiles in a number of European countries against a potential attack from Iran, Germany's Sueddeutsche newspaper reports.

The daily quotes a high-ranking US diplomat as saying the Americans want to develop a defensive missile network with Europeans, but doubted whether a deal could be reached quickly by NATO.

Because of these concerns, Washington may pursue bilateral agreements with individual European countries for the deployment, in 2006, of anti-ballistic systems in exchange for economic aid, the Sueddeutsche said.

The diplomat acknowledged that such an approach could lead to new tensions with some European countries following the rift over the US-led Iraq war, the report says.

US defence policy specialist Benjamin Schreer of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs told the newspaper that Romania and Bulgaria could be the "first choices" for such agreements with the US.

[BureaucratusMaximus]

Countries accepting the missiles would be rewarded by the U.S. with economic assistance, according to the report in the Sueddeutsche Zeitung citing unnamed U.S. State Department officials.

Long live the empire!

[toast]

The most likely target would actually be Israel.

I would suggest deployment on the soil of our new best friend Iraq.

[Stultis]

Is this thing going to destroy the missles entirely? 'Cause if it's cheaper to simply deflect them into France... (or even if it costs a bit extra...)

[Delbert]

Why not just destroy Iran? Wouldnt it be cheaper?

[haole]

Boeing to Help Russia Shoot down American Missiles

Boeing signed a new agreement, July 30, 2003, with a Russian defense manufacturer that undermines the effectiveness of America's Minuteman III and Trident missiles.

This agreement with Russian defense manufacturer RTI-Systems Concern of Moscow will improve the architecture of its radar systems. RTI Systems is interested in using Boeing's help to improve the Russian missile defense system.

This information came from an article titled "Boeing and RTI-Systems of Russia announce agreement" in the Boeing News July 30, 2003. The Russian missile defense system is designed to shoot down American missiles. The most disturbing aspect of this agreement is Boeing's intimate knowledge of the threat the Russian missile defense system will face. Boeing makes 500 of the missiles that will penetrate their defenses.

Boeing manufactured the Minuteman III missile in the 1960s as the land-based component of America's strategic nuclear forces. The U.S. Government paid Boeing millions of dollars to build and maintain this missile for the security of the United States. Another problem with this agreement is Boeing's intimate knowledge of America's missile defense. Boeing is integrator for America's missile defense, which is designed to shoot down Russian missiles. American scientists working with Russian scientists to shoot down American Missiles is a fundamental conflict of interest for Boeing employees, The Boeing Company and the Bush administration, if it approves this.

[kimosabe31]

Countries accepting the missiles would be rewarded by the U.S. with economic assistance, according to the report in the Sueddeutsche Zeitung citing unnamed U.S. State Department officials.

These people must think we're nuts. We're offering them bribe money to allow us to defend them.