White House finally gets something right

[Danno 1,228]

If we don't want Russia putting Missile sites around our Country... we shouldn't put them around theirs.

U.S. scraps missile defense shield plans

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Obama administration will scrap the controversial missile defense shield program in Eastern Europe, a senior administration official confirmed to CNN Thursday.

The U.S. has been testing the ability of ground-based interceptor missiles to hit long-range ballistic missiles.

The comment followed similar statements from officials in Poland and the Czech Republic -- where key elements of the system were to be located -- but was the first confirmation from an American official.

Vice President Joe Biden earlier refused to confirm to CNN that the George W. Bush-era plan was being shelved.

But he did explain the logic of doing so, saying Iran -- a key concern for the United States -- was not a threat.

"I think we are fully capable and secure dealing with any present or future potential Iranian threat," he told CNN's Chris Lawrence in Baghdad, where he is on a brief trip.

"The whole purpose of this exercise we are undertaking is to diminish the prospect of the Iranians destabilizing that region in the world. I am less concerned -- much less concerned -- about the Iranian potential. They have no potential at this moment, they have no capacity to launch a missile at the United States of America," he said.

Biden said he is "deeply" involved in the review of the missile defense program. See how the system would work » | See a map of the proposed sites »

The Bush administration had cited the perceived nuclear threat from Iran as one of the key reasons it wanted to install the missile shield in eastern Europe.

The U.S. reversal is likely to please Russia, which had fiercely opposed the plans.

Is the U.S. right to scrap plans for a missile defense shield in Europe? Sound Off below

A U.S. delegation held high-level meetings Thursday in both Poland and the Czech Republic to discuss the missile defense system. While the outcome of the meetings wasn't clear, officials in both countries confirmed the system would be scrapped.

Czech Prime minister Jan Fischer said in a statement that U.S. President Barack Obama told him in a Wednesday phone call that the United States was shelving its plans. Fischer did not say what reason Obama gave him for reconsidering.

A spokeswoman at the Polish Ministry of Defense also said the program had been suspended.

"This is catastrophic for Poland," said the spokeswoman, who declined to be named in line with ministry policy.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Gen. James E. Cartwright, who is vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, are scheduled to hold a news conference Thursday morning. The Defense Department has not announced what will be discussed, but Cartwright is the point man for the missile defense shield program.

Poland and the Czech Republic had based much of their future security policy on getting the missile defenses from the United States. The countries share deep concerns of a future military threat from the east -- namely, Russia -- and may now look for other defense assurances from their NATO allies.

"At the NATO summit in April, we adopted a resolution focusing on building a defense system against real, existing threats, i.e. short-range and medium-range missiles," Fischer said. "We expect that the United States will continue cooperating with the Czech Republic on concluding the relevant agreements on our mutual (research and development) and military collaboration, including the financing of specific projects."

By contrast, Russia may view the move as a diplomatic victory after complaining about the program consistently for years.

There was no comment Thursday morning from Russian officials. But the issue has been a sore point in relations between Washington and Moscow, with Russia believing the shield would ultimately erode its own strategic nuclear deterrent.

With the program scrapped, it opens the way for Russia to join with the United States in taking a harder line on Iran, CNN Correspondent Matthew Chance reported from Moscow.

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The United States proposed the plans under then-President George W. Bush, but since taking over this year, the Obama administration has been reviewing whether to move ahead with them.

The missile shield issue came up in July during a meeting between Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in Moscow. Obama maintained that Russia had nothing to fear from such a system, which would be designed to intercept a solitary missile from Iran or North Korea, as opposed to "a mighty Russian arsenal."

[HAL 9000 96]

Didn't they finally do something right last week too, Danno?

(It was your thread I believe)

[zqt3344 21]

Danno

You know why mother Russia is doing this, it is those petro dollars working for that criminal state run duma and presidency of Russia now, they are still nothing but a bunch of thugs and KGB former operatives, the big bosses stealing again like they did during communism times and once again it will falter and fail, this is a game of chess and Ovomit just got checkmated by the Kremlin and if you think it is going to stop Russia from supplying the terrorist of the world with arms and weapons and bomb making skills you are wrong. Where do you think these middle east bomb makers learned to do that? K G B taught them and still teaches them, why do you think Russia will not rebuke Iran, they know Iran can be used by them to keep the USA off balance and distracted while they stand back and claim innocence. Russia is not a good country or nation with good intentions for any former Soviet run country, or for that matter the USA, the whole place is rife with corruption and just a military state now basically. I cannot believe the USA backed down like this, it will only get worse, Russia will see it as a sign of weakness and will now take more bolder steps, just watch and see, Russia is always stirring up problems in the background in Eastern Europe and for that matter around the world. You ever hear of Victor Bout???? Arms dealer caught by US feds finally back in Spring of 2008 in Phillipines where he was about to make a deal to deliver a ton of Russian made military weapons to FARC in jungles of Venezuela and Colombia(the lone US ally in South America now). Open your eyes to what is going on here. I have no sympathy for Russia, nothing but a bunch of KGB crooks and thugs that have taken over since Putin strong armed Yelstin out the door and his democratic reforms, now look what you have, more of the same old Russia like before. WE can only hope oil drops to record lows of under $20 a barrel or everyone discovers new way to produce energy and financially wipe out the KGB thugs running Russia now!

ZQT3344

If we don't want Russia putting Missile sites around our Country... we shouldn't put them around theirs.

U.S. scraps missile defense shield plans

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Obama administration will scrap the controversial missile defense shield program in Eastern Europe, a senior administration official confirmed to CNN Thursday.

The U.S. has been testing the ability of ground-based interceptor missiles to hit long-range ballistic missiles.

The comment followed similar statements from officials in Poland and the Czech Republic -- where key elements of the system were to be located -- but was the first confirmation from an American official.

Vice President Joe Biden earlier refused to confirm to CNN that the George W. Bush-era plan was being shelved.

But he did explain the logic of doing so, saying Iran -- a key concern for the United States -- was not a threat.

"I think we are fully capable and secure dealing with any present or future potential Iranian threat," he told CNN's Chris Lawrence in Baghdad, where he is on a brief trip.

"The whole purpose of this exercise we are undertaking is to diminish the prospect of the Iranians destabilizing that region in the world. I am less concerned -- much less concerned -- about the Iranian potential. They have no potential at this moment, they have no capacity to launch a missile at the United States of America," he said.

Biden said he is "deeply" involved in the review of the missile defense program. See how the system would work » | See a map of the proposed sites »

The Bush administration had cited the perceived nuclear threat from Iran as one of the key reasons it wanted to install the missile shield in eastern Europe.

The U.S. reversal is likely to please Russia, which had fiercely opposed the plans.

Is the U.S. right to scrap plans for a missile defense shield in Europe? Sound Off below

A U.S. delegation held high-level meetings Thursday in both Poland and the Czech Republic to discuss the missile defense system. While the outcome of the meetings wasn't clear, officials in both countries confirmed the system would be scrapped.

Czech Prime minister Jan Fischer said in a statement that U.S. President Barack Obama told him in a Wednesday phone call that the United States was shelving its plans. Fischer did not say what reason Obama gave him for reconsidering.

A spokeswoman at the Polish Ministry of Defense also said the program had been suspended.

"This is catastrophic for Poland," said the spokeswoman, who declined to be named in line with ministry policy.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Gen. James E. Cartwright, who is vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, are scheduled to hold a news conference Thursday morning. The Defense Department has not announced what will be discussed, but Cartwright is the point man for the missile defense shield program.

Poland and the Czech Republic had based much of their future security policy on getting the missile defenses from the United States. The countries share deep concerns of a future military threat from the east -- namely, Russia -- and may now look for other defense assurances from their NATO allies.

"At the NATO summit in April, we adopted a resolution focusing on building a defense system against real, existing threats, i.e. short-range and medium-range missiles," Fischer said. "We expect that the United States will continue cooperating with the Czech Republic on concluding the relevant agreements on our mutual (research and development) and military collaboration, including the financing of specific projects."

By contrast, Russia may view the move as a diplomatic victory after complaining about the program consistently for years.

There was no comment Thursday morning from Russian officials. But the issue has been a sore point in relations between Washington and Moscow, with Russia believing the shield would ultimately erode its own strategic nuclear deterrent.

With the program scrapped, it opens the way for Russia to join with the United States in taking a harder line on Iran, CNN Correspondent Matthew Chance reported from Moscow.

advertisement

The United States proposed the plans under then-President George W. Bush, but since taking over this year, the Obama administration has been reviewing whether to move ahead with them.

The missile shield issue came up in July during a meeting between Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in Moscow. Obama maintained that Russia had nothing to fear from such a system, which would be designed to intercept a solitary missile from Iran or North Korea, as opposed to "a mighty Russian arsenal."

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

The Missile Defence scheme was madcap to begin with - as was Reagan's "Star Wars" initiative before it.

All it did was promise massively lucrative government contracts to defence subcontractors.

[Peikko 1,575]

You are not a pragmatist are you ZQT?

[almaty 19]

Open your eyes to what is going on here. I have no sympathy for Russia, nothing but a bunch of KGB crooks and thugs that have taken over since Putin strong armed Yelstin out the door and his democratic reforms, now look what you have, more of the same old Russia like before. WE can only hope oil drops to record lows of under $20 a barrel or everyone discovers new way to produce energy and financially wipe out the KGB thugs running Russia now!

amen to that brother zqt

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

So what's the plan here chaps?

War with Iran? Russia too?

Noone has the stomach for another war, not to mention the country would likely go completely bankrupt as a result.

I'm afraid you all have to learn to live with your demons...

[HAL 9000 96]

I laugh every time my boss emails the lab list... 'Hullo lab chaps'

Gets it right every time.

[zqt3344 21]

Open your eyes Cleo and stop watching CNN or MSNBC, and read the papers or go visit Eastern Europe and see for yourself and talk to the people. Pragmtist or not I have no clue, but what I do know is Ovomit is playing with fire with Russia and it is deadly, not a thing where you get to give a speech and talk your way out of it and for that matter all of Russia is laughing at Ovomit as our president in the USA, to them it is a sign of how weak and soft the USA has become when such a person is elected president. Sad but true. And another reason why Russia is not backing down from the USA and going right ahead with business as usual, they are not the least bit impressed with Ovomit. I notice that Russia never did stop deploying more influence around the world once Obama took office, care to explain that? I notice Russia just escalated their military deals with unfriendly countries to the USA in past 8 months, gee I wonder why? I was no fan of Bush but he did know how to handle international affairs better than Ovomit does. When it comes to military Ovomit is a weak.

You are not a pragmatist are you ZQT?

[zqt3344 21]

Sadly our goverment is bad in the USA and has many problems, but our problems pale in comparison to former Soviet countries or that matter Russia, if people could go visit and see what is going on to the masses they would be shocked, it is just the ole big commie bosses have now taken back over as the new bosses under the guise of democracy and the masses of people are getting ripped off royally that live and work there day to day, just truly sad.

Open your eyes to what is going on here. I have no sympathy for Russia, nothing but a bunch of KGB crooks and thugs that have taken over since Putin strong armed Yelstin out the door and his democratic reforms, now look what you have, more of the same old Russia like before. WE can only hope oil drops to record lows of under $20 a barrel or everyone discovers new way to produce energy and financially wipe out the KGB thugs running Russia now!

amen to that brother zqt

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

The US has no leg to stand on either, tbh - they've been funding dodgy regimes for decades. All the fancy talk about democracy and freedom is a trite euphemism.

Bush et al bled this country white in Iraq and Afghanistan and for no clear benefit. He was a terrible chess player on the world stage.

[zqt3344 21]

Yes Pvt Pike, you are right the USA should model itself after the UK and just open up all jail cells to convicted terrorists or bombers and let them go home free for BP oil deals in Libya, that would make nice and make us all feel warm again inside.

So what's the plan here chaps?

War with Iran? Russia too?

Noone has the stomach for another war, not to mention the country would likely go completely bankrupt as a result.

I'm afraid you all have to learn to live with your demons...

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Nice attempt at a bait post, ZQT - but it falls flat because you fail to get your facts straight.

The Lockerbie bomber was not released as part of an oil deal made between the Libyan and UK governments. There was also some doubt as to whether he was actually guilty. You can find all this out for yourself if you're actually interested - or continue spouting inane platitudes.

[Peikko 1,575]

ZQT, I don't watch TV. While I do understand that the former Soviet Union has its own share of problems, screaming how Russia is 'laughing at' the USA and Obama's weakness simply shows you have bought into the 'right wing' agenda of problem solving.

[zqt3344 21]

Excuse you PVT Pike, you and your arrogant snobby British colonial robber Barron style of democracy sucks. We have all noticed that the British like you failed at controling anything for very long because of the corruption. You brits need to clean up your own back yard before you attack the USA. I have visited many of your former owned Queen colonies now turned nations under the crown and none of the inhabitants has anything nice to say about the brits or how they ruled, except that you raped and pillaged them all for centuries. You are truly clueless.

The US has no leg to stand on either, tbh - they've been funding dodgy regimes for decades. All the fancy talk about democracy and freedom is a trite euphemism.

Bush et al bled this country white in Iraq and Afghanistan and for no clear benefit. He was a terrible chess player on the world stage.