U.S. to Shelve Nuclear-Missile Shield in Europe

[JohnBrowdie]

I just don't understand the argument against a defensive missile shield in the first place.  as a candidate, obama voiced some opposition to it because he maintained that it didn't work.  now, it's because the same intelligence services that said that iraq had WMD are saying that their missile technology isn't progressing as previously thought. 

of course, the million dollar question is, "what of they are wrong again"?

U.S. to Shelve Nuclear-Missile Shield in Europe
Defense plans for Poland, Czech Republic to be dropped as Iran rocket threat downgraded; Moscow likely to welcome move

WASHINGTON -- The White House will shelve Bush administration plans to build a missile-defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic, according to people familiar with the matter, a move likely to cheer Moscow and roil the security debate in Europe.

The U.S. will base its decision on a determination that Iran's long-range missile program has not progressed as rapidly as previously estimated, reducing the threat to the continental U.S. and major European capitals, according to current and former U.S. officials.

The findings, expected to be completed as early as next week following a 60-day review ordered by President Barack Obama, would be a major reversal from the Bush administration, which pushed aggressively to begin construction of the Eastern European system before leaving office in January.

The Bush administration proposed the European-based system to counter the perceived threat of Iran developing a nuclear weapon that could be placed atop its increasingly sophisticated missiles. There is widespread disagreement over the progress of Iran's nuclear program toward developing such a weapon, but miniaturizing nuclear weapons for use on long-range missiles is one of the most difficult technological hurdles for an aspiring nuclear nation.

The Bush plan infuriated the Kremlin, which argued the system was a potential threat to its own intercontinental ballistic missiles. U.S. officials repeatedly insisted the location and limited scale of the system -- a radar site in the Czech Republic and 10 interceptor missiles in Poland -- posed no threat to Russian strategic arms.

More

[JohnBrowdie]

the president's statement on the abandonment of the missile defense shield is another one of those odd and almost oxymoronic propositions, along the lines of, "we need the government option to provide competition in health care".  his thinking here seems to be "we are safer because we are abandoning the defense shield, and besides, the threat has disappeared". 

"Good morning. As Commander-in-Chief, I'm committed to doing everything in my power to advance our national security. And that includes strengthening our defenses against any and all threats to our people, our troops, and our friends and allies around the world.
.
.
.
"This decision was guided by two principal factors. First, we have updated our intelligence assessment of Iran's missile programs, which emphasizes the threat posed by Iran's short- and medium-range missiles, which are capable of reaching Europe. There's no substitute for Iran complying with its international obligations regarding its nuclear program, and we, along with our allies and partners, will continue to pursue strong diplomacy to ensure that Iran lives up to these international obligations. But this new ballistic missile defense program will best address the threat posed by Iran's ongoing ballistic missile defense program.

the president's full statement

[JohnBrowdie]

the president canceled missile defense beacuse he is a liberal, and at heart, all liberals believe in unilateral disarmament. 

it's the foreign policy.

Iran Nuke Report Could Call Into Question Basis for Missile Defense Shift

A secret report from the United Nations' nuclear watchdog warns that Iran has the ability to make a nuclear bomb and is developing a missile system to carry it — an assessment that could call into question the Obama administration's claim on Thursday that the biggest threat from Iran comes from its short- and medium-range missiles.

Just hours after President Obama and Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced that they were shelving plans for a missile defense shield in Eastern Europe because of Iran's shift in strategy, the Associated Press revealed details of the secret report by the International Atomic Energy Agency. It says Iran has "sufficient information" to build a bomb.

The report, which says Iran is likely to "overcome problems" on developing a delivery system, appears to be the so-called "secret annex" on Iran's nuclear program that Washington has said is being withheld by the IAEA's chief.

But the IAEA pushed back hard against that allegation, saying the charge is baseless.

"With respect to a recent media report, the IAEA reiterates that it has no concrete proof that there is or has been a nuclear weapon program in Iran," the IAEA said in a written statement.

An IAEA spokesman told FOX News that the next formal report on Iran's nuclear capabilities is expected in November. He said the evidence suggesting Iran has a nuclear weapons program has not been verified.

But officials in the U.S. and other countries have been warning that Iran is making headway in developing long-range missiles and a nuclear weapon.

More

[JohnBrowdie]

another explanation for some of these more unbelievable obama policy decisions is that without a moral compass of their own, they are simply reflexively and involuntarily reversing everything that remains from the bush administration that is within their grasp.
 

Bipartisan Senate concern over Obama decision on missile defense

Senators reacted with bipartisan concern Thursday over the Obama administration’s decision to scrap a missile defense system in Eastern Europe, saying Congress and foreign allies were kept in the dark.

The decision announced Thursday morning followed late-night phone calls to Czech and Polish officials, and at least one senior Democrat — Armed Services Chairman Carl Levin (D-Mich.) — said those countries had no problem with the decision.

But the committee’s ranking Republican, 2008 GOP presidential nominee John McCain (Ariz.), told The Hill the White House never notified his committee until Thursday morning. McCain also disputed Levin’s assertion that Czech and Polish leaders were consulted.

"It was an unfortunate decision,” McCain said. “It sends a message to the Russians that could encourage them, and it sends a message to our friends and allies not to count on our commitments."
.
.
.
Significantly, the senior Republicans were joined by a handful of centrist Democrats on the Armed Services Committee who said they want to see the intelligence behind the decision.

“I want to review what intelligence exists for that conclusion,” said Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.). “Obviously the White House can’t consult with Congress on everything, but there are some things that are important enough, particularly as it relates to national defense. And there are some of us who have supported very strongly this defense system in the past — it seems we should have had some advance notice.”

“I’m concerned about scrapping it,” added Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), also a committee member. “I think missile defense is a very, very important part of our arsenal.”

More

[Miss Mia]

If the US doesn't want to supply the missile defense shield, couldn't the Czech and Polish purchase it on their own?  BTW, I don't understand what's wrong with a missile defense shield, but then maybe that's because the prospect of them and the missiles used in it pay my paycheck each week.

[JohnBrowdie]

If the US doesn't want to supply the missile defense shield, couldn't the Czech and Polish purchase it on their own?  BTW, I don't understand what's wrong with a missile defense shield, but then maybe that's because the prospect of them and the missiles used in it pay my paycheck each week.

missile defense is only attainable by superpowers.  whatever happened to all of this "multilateralism" that george bush allegedly rejected, and therefore sucked?  why wouldn't the US want to deploy the missile defense to help defend it's allies?

[Miss Mia]

BTW, I read a new article today that said that the shelving by Obama might actually help the program I work on.  Strange how that works.  lol

[JohnBrowdie]

BTW, I read a new article today that said that the shelving by Obama might actually help the program I work on.  Strange how that works.  lol

it will be strange if it doesn't wind up on the same self sooner or later.

[Miss Mia]

it will be strange if it doesn't wind up on the same self sooner or later.

Then you haven't been paying attention to what I've said about what project I work on, it's not something that can be canceled by Obama in the first place.