Eastern Europe: USA ditching missile defense. (1 Viewer)

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He may be calculating that this will encourage President Medvedev to support tougher action against Iran’s nuclear programme when he visits the US next week for the G20 summit and the United Nations General Assembly. But Mr Obama learnt to his cost in July that it is Mr Putin, and not Mr Medvedev, who remains in charge in Moscow.

In fact, Moscow may become more intransigent, arguing that Washington itself no longer takes the threat as seriously as it did by cancelling the missile-defence shield. Any such argument would only harden Israel’s determination to act.

Some analysts in Russia have begun cynically to ask whether the Kremlin wants to see a war in Iran, arguing that this would send oil prices soaring and replenish state coffers emptied out by the economic crisis.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article6838377.ece

What will we get back from Russia is what matters to me.
 
I for one never believed the program would work. I was wrong. Throw enough money and brains at something and I guess you can do it. I still believe it's a waste of money due to the threat. Sure given enough time (warning), correctly placed sensors and politcal will it is a valid program. I think we're better off spending that money elsewhere though. Or how about not spending it at all and paying down the national debt. Like Blackadder stated, I am not sure this isn't tied to a deal with Russia (i.e. use of air corridors and air bases to support the war in Afghanistan).
 
The title of this thread is a bit disingenuous. While we may be pulling land based missile defense from Czech and Polish lands we will still have a mobile missile defense system in place in the Mediterranean. This system is reported to be for intercepting short and medium range missiles.

So stating we are ditching all missile defense is not accurate.
 
Russia is getting everything they want from Obama.

By trading the loyalty of Poland and the Czech Republic to satisfy Russia’s security concerns, the United States is signalling that it no longer contests Moscow’s right to assert its interests in Eastern Europe.

The article goes on to mention Russia has a pending sale of S-300 air defense missiles to Iran. If this sale goes thru, it could move Israel closer to attack.

Putin is rolling Obama.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article6838377.ece
 
I'm surprised that here on the EE, at least, this move by the Obama administration seems to be pretty popular across the political spectrum. I think we can all agree that with our current budget situation here, we need lots of things more urgently than a European missile defense shield.
 
IntenseSaint said:
The title of this thread is a bit disingenuous. While we may be pulling land based missile defense from Czech and Polish lands we will still have a mobile missile defense system in place in the Mediterranean. This system is reported to be for intercepting short and medium range missiles.

So stating we are ditching all missile defense is not accurate.
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Exactly. From what I understand, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Department of Defense want this. I would defer to their judgement.

Jan
 
I don't like it either. In politics, perception is everything. Regardless of our motive, whether good or bad, it will be perceived as a weak move compared to the US strategy in the past. It appears the USSR is starting to rebuild, and the old guard is getting back their power. There is no doubt they are smiling ear to ear about this. To those who say its no big deal in this particular case, please consider the big picture.

I know we have economic problems at home, but backing off our strong foreign policies and turning our back on Eastern Euro allies is only going to add another problem. Right now, Russia and its allies know we are broke, and we are now giving the perception that we are becoming weaker and weaker in regards to our foreign policy. With that being said, the other side is going to get bolder and bolder in regards to what they do.

IMO, the good USA had a good run. One of the best all time!!! Every great Empire that has arisen throughout the history of mankind, has either fallen down or completely dissolved. With that being said, we will be no different. It is both arrogant and ignorant to think otherwise. About 4 years ago, I estimated the USA has another 50 to 100 years remaining as is. Over the last year, I truly believe the number is now closer to 50.
 
The threat of Iran was always a little silly. Why would we need missle defense in Europe to defend against Iran anyway? This was always a way to expand our empire and the entire world knew it.

If we want to keep Russia in line just keep oil low.

So much more is needed here at home and I am happy Obama gave up on this nonsense.

Now to get out of Iraq and Afghanistan.
 
Poland and the Czechs are members of NATO, so their security really isn't a concern. The message sent here is to Ukrain and Georgia...your on your own. Figure out a way to deal with Russia, because the United States under the Obama administration is not going to stand up to them on your behalf.

From a technical and monetary standpoint, it might have been a logical decision (though with Iran having the ability to launch a satilite in orbit that can be disputed), but from a forgien policy position, it was a complete disaster. Obama is not a world player...Putin is.

Why should any eastern European country form alliances with the United States now, knowing that if Russia barks, the US will back down?
 
Poland has been the USA's biggest friend in Eastern Europe, to turn our back on them now is a mistake and will cost us later.
 
The missile defense shield wasn't supposed to defend Poland and the Czech Republic against Russia. It was supposed to defend Western Europe against long-range missiles from the Middle East. Ukraine and Georgia had absolutely nothing to do with this. Jeff, please explain to me just how missiles in Poland and the Czech Republic were supposed to protect Georgia and Ukraine, both of whom share long borders with Russia, from Russian aggression.

Furthermore, the whole project was smoke and mirrors to begin with. See this excellent story from Newsweek.

Nonetheless, irrational as it may be, the system somehow became an indicator for the Eastern Europeans of just how much America loved them. (The defensive capability was years away, but the hope that it would deter Russian aggression was real.) By the same token, the Kremlin saw it as an indicator of Washington's intent to expand its influence across the former Soviet Union, which was a real Bush-era strategy. But neither point of view had any relationship to the specifics of the missile system that became its symbol.

In fact, the irony of Obama's announcement is that Europe (and, for that matter, European Russia) will probably end up much better defended against an Iranian missile. Instead of bogus Polish interceptors, Obama is going to fund smaller missile-defense systems designed to knock out rockets during the boost, or takeoff phase, when the rocket is slower, hotter, and easier to hit. That's best done from somewhere much closer than Poland—for instance from the territory of NATO-member Turkey or U.S. allies Iraqi Kurdistan or Kuwait.
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http://www.newsweek.com/id/215620
 

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