Barack Obama's decision to scrap Bush-era plans for a missile defence shield on Thursday triggered dismay in central Europe and among Republicans on Capitol Hill, amid claims that it amounted to a major security concession to Russia.
Unveiling one of the biggest reversals on national security since coming to office, the US president said that he would abandon predecessor George W. Bush's plans for ground-based interceptors in Poland and a related radar site in the Czech Republic, deploying instead a new system that could hit shorter-range Iranian missiles....
But US officials deny the move is a quid pro quo for Russian support for tougher UN sanctions on Iran - an idea previously floated by Mr Obama's advisers.
Russia's foreign ministry on Thursday denied that there was any private deal behind the US decision....
US Republicans, who identify missile defence as a key part of US national security, were also critical. John McCain, the presidential candidate who lost to Mr Obama, criticised the move as "seriously misguided". John Bolton, former US ambassador to the United Nations, a leading Bush-era hawk, was scathing.
"I think this is a near catastrophe for American relations with Eastern European countries and many in NATO," he said. "It was the kind of unilateral decision that the Bush administration was always criticised for and I think the clear winners are in Russia and Iran."...
John Bolton on Obama scrapping missile shield for Poland and Czech Republic: "The clear winners are in Russia and Iran"
That is, Iran, one of the foremost players in the global jihad, and Russia, a key jihad enabler. Yet another Which-Side-Is-Obama-On Alert: "Obama under fire for U-turn on missiles," by Daniel Dombey, James Blitz and Jan Cienski in Financial Times, September 17 (thanks to all who sent this in):
And the irrelevent Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, fawning thinks Obama's abandoning of Poland & other European allies is okay. These people are a danger to Americans too!
"Russia's foreign ministry on Thursday denied that there was any private deal behind the US decision...."
Right. And the Lockerbie Bomber was released from prison in Scotland only because he has prostate cancer.
"My Muslim faith" Hussein is on the Mohammedan side.
This decision has made me look much more favorably on the British Parliamentary system where votes of no confidence in the government may cause it to fall.
Perhaps I am being cynical, but the anti-missile shield that even U.S. generals say did not work and which the Russians said could be neutered, was a very lucrative project for defense contractors. Many billions have been spent on research and development and would if implemented have been the most profitable defense project ever. This was the reason for the program moreso than the questionable security benefits to Poland. To think that Poland would be a target of Iranian missiles is quite a joke. What would be the point of Iran doing that? To complain about Polish sausage? Obama's decision to cancel this make work program for the defense contractors was courageous and will save U.S. taxpayers billions at a time when citizens are complaining how much his administration is spending to bail out the financial industry. U.S. citizens should be happy that there's some fiscal accountabilty in Washington.
....fiscal accountability in Washington. Bwahahahhahah. You kidding or what? It was only cut so 0 had some extra money he could use for Acorn's defense fund. Spare me!
The thought that Poland and the Czech Republic would be targets of Iranian missiles seems absurd to me. I am well aware of Iran's aggressive, hegemonic jihad intentions, but the states threatened by Iran are Israel, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, not the countries of Eastern Europe. As for Russia, I don't understand this attitude of hostility directed toward Russia, even though the Cold War is long over. Some policy experts are still living in the 1950's. Yes, Russia does see itself as a regional power in Eastern Europe, the Caucuses, and Central Asia and believes it has a right to project its power into these regions and is not warm to the idea of another global power having such a large and visible military presence on its borders, just as America would (rightfully) be concerned if countries like Russia and China started building military bases and missile shields in Mexico, Cuba, and Venezuela. The missile shield has nothing to do with rogue states like Iran or North Korea, and everything to do with getting in Russia's face. Indeed, you will find that many of these same people that are adamant about spending all this money on a missile shield are the same people championing the Chechen mujahideen and other Muslim separatists as a means of undermining Russia.
On the other hand, I understand that Poland and the Czech Republic have many good reasons to be concerned about Russia. Russia has not, historically, treated either country particularly well (to put it nicely). I think abandoning the missile shield plan and trying to seek a new relationship with Russia is a good idea. The mistake Obama made here is how he went about it. He created the impression that he was throwing Poland and the Czech Republic to the wolves (which Western powers have been doing for quite some time now). The shield plan should have been abandoned in a slow and less then visible manner, while at the same time seeking to make clear that while the plan is being abandoned, Poland and the Czech Republic will not. Of course, Obama in his usual style comes off as weak and pandering.
From post above: The mistake Obama made here is how he went about it. He created the impression that he was throwing Poland and the Czech Republic to the wolves...
Impression???
Rasulullahhaha Obama is on his way OUT...I predicted early on that within a year of his taking office Jan 20 09 that the people who elected him will be howling for his impeachment...He still has several months to go and is already ahead of schedule...Impeach early...impeach often...
I fully agree w/ Virgil above (just in case this post doesn't get marked as reply to Virgil). While Wellington, Jan Sobieski and others are right about Russian hegemony, Russian hegemony today is completely different from Soviet hegemony during the Cold War (although understandably, the Poles, Czechs, Lithuanians, Ukrainians, Georgians and others may not notice the difference since they'd by under the scanner anyway). I'm not suggesting that the US should throw these countries to Misha, as Obama seems to have done, but in terms of priorities, sorry to say it, but countries like Israel, Ethiopia amongst others deserve to be much higher on the protection priority than the other countries. For the plain and simple reason that Russian tanks entering Warsaw, outrageous as that would be, would not represent a victory for Islam. But Islamic tanks entering Jerusalem would.
It's the priorities, Stupid!
The deployment of the Anti-Ballistic Missile System was the guarantee to Poland and the Czech Republic that any act by Russia would involve the US as well.
Announcing the cancellation on the day Russia Invaded Poland in 1939 is not lost on the Poles. A follow through from a secret deal with Germany to carve Poland up.
After all the Czechs and Poles went through in the 20th Century in gaining their freedom, having Omama give them a big fat middle finger salute is just unconscionable.
In utter disbelief, I hang my head in shame at what that A@%-H^&$ Obama has done in my name.
flowerknife_us has it right. This was about Poland and the Czech Republic integrating into the western sphere - to keep clear of potential Russian domination - as well as missile defence for the US east coast.
Lorenzo wrote:
To think that Poland would be a target of Iranian missiles is quite a joke. What would be the point of Iran doing that? To complain about Polish sausage?
.......
Virgil wrote:
The thought that Poland and the Czech Republic would be targets of Iranian missiles seems absurd to me.
....................
I'm sorry--I can't agree with you here. Poland and the Czech Republic *are the West*. Iran has been testing missiles that can reach Eastern Europe--and whatever your opinions about the overreaching European Union, Poland and the Czech Republic--and the rest of Eastern Europe--are part of the EU.
What are the chances that Iran with have a particular beef with, say, Poland? Fairly slight, in itself. But hitting Eastern Europe to get at The United States, or Britain, or Europe in general--in no way seems far-fetched to me.
If I were Czech or Polish, I would not be comfitted by Obama's canceling the missile shield.
First, attack the CIA personell with a special prosecutor and bankrupt many good loyal agents, and now lower our strategic defenses somewhat for no reason other than goodwill from Russia. Goodwill from Russia!!! Gad, what kind of fools do we have running this country. Pissing off our friends and encouraging our enemies to attack.
When things in Washington don't add up, you can bet its the money. Somehow, someway, this is beneficial to someone in Washington in a big way, financially.
Also, if we or anyone else suffered a nuke attack, there would be chaos in the markets, which would give Obama that much more power to use to inflict still more of his will over us. If somehow we get a major hit, we would probably go into martial law. That would be great fun for Obama and his people. Just think what all they could do. An Acorn worker searching every house? They could turn our society upside down with our military behind them.
I agree with Obama for once.
Russia is not the enemy now, the loony left and Islam is the enemy
Russia is more right wing than Europe now.
arnuxii-Russia is not our friend and never has been. Just where do you think the "loony Left" has its roots???
Gee,the last I knew, it has been the Russians giving Iran all the things the rest of us do not want them to have. While the Iranians seem to think they are the ones on the top of Islams Hill.
Connecting the dots is an easy game to play-If one knows how to count.
If America cared about Iranian missles it would have taken up Russia's offer to build the missle sheild in Azerbaijan, which is much closer to Iran... it borders IRAN.
America though did not because the purpose of the shield was to escalate tensions between Russia and America. And saying it was to defend against IRAN was just a way to make Russian views seem paranoid.
This shield was just gonna be another base to encircle russia. Even East European opinion polls from people say that this shield project is should not go through in case it angers russia, a more important negihbour. It is only the EU/NATO leadership of these countries that is dismayed at the loss of their beloved "American 'AID' project"
The leaders of these countries are crooked.
It is hard to say who are worse: Democrats or Republicans, the so-called "liberals" or the so-called "conservatives". All are phonies. Both parties are rotten to the core.
Russia, Russia, Russia ... . Anything to avoid dealing with the real threat, which is Iran.
The Republicans are only good to scream from back benches, berating the Democrats for "wimpiness". But every time they themselves stepped up to the plate, they screwed up the whole game.
In 1936, Hitler had made a reckless act that could have led to an early end of the Third Reich, sending 3 army batallions into the demilitarized Rhineland. Facing them was the French Army, then the largest in the world. Even Hitler himself, as insane as he was, realized the peril he was in, calling the next 48 hours "the most nerve-racking" in his life, saying that if the French made so much as a threatening noise, the Nazis would have marched right back, "with tails between their legs". This fiasco would have ruined the Nazis' "thug reputation", discrediting them among the German population, and emboldened the German generals - who were already on the edge - to oust the Nazis from power. Hitler himself said as much: "withdrawal for us would mean a downfall". But the French did not make a peep, and the English sociopaths, practically 100% of the government, political, "intellectual", academic, literary, "artistic" and media elites - Churchill being the only exception - enthusiastically cheered the parading Germans, demoralizing the French all the more. Yet another triumph for Hitler, one of many handed to him by the English on a siver platter. And the consequences for humanity were horrible.
Fast forward 70 years: Iran makes a reckless act, sending Hezbollah on a murderous attck on Israeli soldiers, accross an internationally recognized border, into the sovereign territory of a UN member state. Unlike the French 70 years earlier, Israel acted, albeight reluctantly. The Israelis just did not have their heart in that war. And yet, as the fighting went on, it took its toll on Hezbollah, and its leader Nasralla's boasts turned into frantic calls for help to the Arab world. All that was needed of our Coward Country USA was just to stand aside and let Israel finish the job. The destruction of Hezbollah, an integral part of Iran would deprive it of its "thug reputation", the only thing going for the Iranian regime. But Baby Bush and Cowardeezza panicked and stopped Israel's war effort in its tracks with a UN resolution, rescuing Hezbollah, a serial mass-murderer of Americans. Look at the resilience and courage of Iranian protesters today. Now, imagine the scale of the popular revolt in Iran if the Khomeini Islamo-Nazis lost Hezbollah and their face before the entire world. The cowardly UN resolution had saved not only Hezbollah, but the terrorist government of Iran. And who cast that UN vote that will live in infamy? No one else than Bolton who now screeches about "gutless Democrats". Bolton himself now criticizes the vote he cast, making the excuse that he "was only following orders" from his boss, the Cowardeezza. But he could have refused. Imagine the drama: the US Ambassador in the UN refuses to vote for the disgraceful resolution and steps down in protest. That would have gotten a lot more attention than Bolton's backbench noises today. He had the tallest friggin' sandbox in the world, in the brightest spotlight. And yet, he did not take that historic opportunity, obdediently voting for the "cease-fire" instead. This so-called "right-wing hardliner" was a tool in saving Iran, the worst enemy of the United States and Israel in the world.
Phonies, phonies, Republican and Democrat, phonies all.
It is time to create the Center Party that will empower true American heroes such as Rudy Giuliani and Paul Sperry.
Ruslan Tokhchukov, EnragedSince1999.