Dismay in Europe as Obama ditches missile defence

President Obama dismayed America's allies in Europe and angered his political opponents at home today when he formally ditched plans to set up a missile defence shield in Poland and the Czech Republic.

The project had been close to the heart of Mr Obama's predecessor, President Bush, who had argued before leaving office in January that it was needed to defend against long-range ballistic missile attacks from rogue states such as Iran and North Korea.

But it had hobbled relations with Russia, which considered it both a security threat and an unnecessary political provocation in its own backyard.

At a White House appearance today, Mr Obama confirmed that the defence shield envisaged by the Bush Administration, involving a radar base in the Czech Republic and interceptor rockets sited in Poland, was being abandoned.

Instead, after a comprehensive review, he had decided to accept the advice of both the Defence Secretary, Robert Gates, and of the Chiefs of Staff opt for a "smarter, stronger and swifter" system involving both sea-based and land-based mobile interceptors.

Mr Obama said that latest intelligence suggested that threat of long-range missile attacks from Iran had receded, but the threat of short- or medium-range attacks was a real one.

He said that the system would be "phased and adaptive" and used proven technologies to create an effective missile defence system.

In a briefing at the Pentagon, Mr Gates said that the new system could be operational six or seven years before the Bush-era shield would have come online, more effectively replying to future threats.

Mr Gates said that the initial stage of the new American plan would see the deployment of Aegis-equipped ships, armed with interceptors, giving the military the ability to move the system around.

Another key to the near-term network would be new, more mobile radar used to detect and track short- and medium-range missiles if they were launched from Iran.

Mr Gates said that a second phase of the plan would add a modified version of a land-based missile that is still being developed.

He said that the United States had told the Czech Republic and Poland that they would be part of that stage of the system, which will not be in place until 2015 - but could still result in American missiles being based in Eastern Europe.

The decision was relayed to the governments of the Czech Republic and Poland both by Mr Obama himself, in telephone calls last night, and by US officials visiting the region. The President assured both governments that the decision would not compromise their security.

But it clearly prompted some dismay in Central and Eastern Europe, where the Bush plan had been seen as an effective guarantor of US support for the fledgling democracies of the old Soviet empire. It will also send a chill through Russia's neighbours.

"This is not good news for the Czech state, for Czech freedom and independence," said Mirek Topolanek, the former Czech Prime Minister. "It puts us in a position where we are not firmly anchored in terms of partnership, security and alliance, and that’s a certain threat."

Russia's Foreign Ministry said that it welcomed reports of the US decision but would wait for official confirmation before making a detailed response. A spokesman said: "Such a development would be in line with the interests of our relations with the United States."

In his White House appearance, Mr Obama said that he had repeatedly made clear to Russia that its objections to the now-ditched missile defence programme had been "entirely unfounded".

The decision to abandon one of Mr Bush's key foreign policy initiatives was quickly denounced by Mr Obama's Republican foes, who accused him of underestimating the threat posed by Iran and of undercutting America's allies in Europe.

"The decision announced today by the Administration is dangerous and short-sighted," the No 2 Republican in the Senate, Jon Kyl, said in a statement.

Mr Kyl said that the shift would leave the United States "vulnerable to the growing Iranian long-range missile threat" and would send a chilling message to former Soviet satellites who had braved Moscow’s anger to support the system.

"This will be a bitter disappointment, indeed, even a warning to the people of Eastern Europe," said Mr Kyl, who pointed out that both Poland and the Czech Republic had sent troops to Iraq and Afghanistan. "Today the Administration has turned its back on these allies."

Senator John McCain, Mr Obama’s defeated Republican White House rival in 2008, said he was "disappointed" with the decision and warned it could undermine US standing in Eastern Europe amid worries there of a resurgent Russia.

"Given the serious and growing threats posed by Iran’s missile and nuclear programmes, now is the time when we should look to strengthen our defences, and those of our allies," he said in a statement.

"Missile defence in Europe has been a key component of this approach. I believe the decision to abandon it unilaterally is seriously misguided.
Timesonline

This is the right choice, I agree with the President on this matter. A year from now we could have 500 SM3 type interceptors distributed throughout our forces, our allies, and our partnerships around the world. Why worry about a land based system that dose not even work yet.