US to scrap missile defense shield

[malaise]

http://features.csmonitor.com/globalnews/2009/09/17/us-... /
<snip>
The United States will scrap a plan to build a missile defense shield in Eastern Europe that had angered Russia, the White House is expected to announce Thursday.

The plan, to place 10 interceptor missiles in Poland and radar sensors in the Czech Republic, was conceived by the Bush administration and intended to counter a perceived threat from Iranian long-range missiles.

The decision to kill the plan is based on the determination that Iran’s missile program has not developed as had been projected, and therefore does not pose as much of a threat as had been estimated.

Shelving the plan may also build goodwill with Russia, which had strongly opposed the idea of a shield, seeing it as a threat.
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Thank you President Obama - a departure from Bushco and their madness

[Echo In Light]

1. Rec

[KharmaTrain]

2. And Watch The Same Asshats Who Claim Healthcare Is Too Expensive

...get into a poutrage over this. I'm sure those in the pocket of the defense contractors will be rushing to microphones to say how vulnerable we are now. Hopefully President Obama can bury this rushpublican welfare program once and for all.

[malaise]

3. You are 100% correct

Good Morning

[boobooday]

4. Should have done it years ago -- nothing but a defense industry boondoggle

Hurray.

[malaise]

5. I wonder who will crawl out to condemn this first

I'm betting Bolton followed by McGramps.

[Orrex]

6. Cheney will no doubt bubble to the surface to condemn it as well.

How can Obama abandon this necessary and perfect defensive system? Doesn't he care about America's children?!?

[boobooday]

11. Oh yes, we're sure to hear from crashcart on this one

Barack is making us less safe! If we don't throw money at defense contractors, they might turn on us!

[malaise]

12. I win

Gramps and Graham jumped first. Of course the Dick is in hospital.

[Festivito]

7. The one that kept failing, so they decided to delay tests until finished?

A whole new way to develop a system. No interim tests. Just let tax dollars flow and then test it at the very end.

Nice way to take/make money.

Now, it won't be tested at all. How sad they must feel .

[sam sarrha]

8. this will piss off the AssHats..... we'll be accused of supporting Iran

[FarCenter]

9. Polish reaction

http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,4699595,00.html

Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Andrzej Kremer said he would be flying to Washington in the next 10 days with Deputy Defense Minister Stanislav Komorovski to discuss the issue.

Aleksander Szczyglo, Poland's chief of national security, said "if confirmed, it would be a failure in long-term thinking in the US administration regarding this part of Europe." He said the proposed missile shield had not only a "military dimension", but also a "political and strategic" one.

Poland, in particular, has lobbied the White House to deploy Patriot missile batteries in the country, manned by American troops, as another option.

And although Polish officials strongly supported former President Bush's missile defense plans, US officials have said that their primary desire was to get US military personnel on the ground in Poland.

---

So it is all really about Russia and not Iran.

[malaise]

10. I'm just happy that Obama has canceled this rubbish n/t

[TxRider]

13. I've been having fun with this one all day with the righties...

I let em get their chants of "he's weak" "he cut a deal" "he surrendered" "he abandoned our allies"

Then I show them this mornings video of Gates saying that the intelligence was crap, that system was crap, and old, and we have a new system that can be based on navy ships where it's more secure, and is more effective, and cen be deployed sooner, and will protect us better...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vBF0OJskbY

[malaise]

14. Gates is a real problem for them

after all he worked with Boooooooosh!!!!!!! Let their heads explode.

[TxRider]

15. So far the response has been deafening silence... And a perplexed look.

[Mari333]

16. finally some good news

[amborin]

17. Long Overdue---Useless, Insane Waste of $$$$