When President Obama looked Putin in the eyes, we now know who blinked. It was announced today that we are shelving the missile defense systems that were to be built in Poland and the Czech Republic. Appeasement does not work. It has never worked. Poland and the Czech Republic took a huge political risk when they agreed to missile defense bases in their countries. They were subjected to the threats and ire of Russia. We have hung them out to dry. Can not the United States be depended on to honor its commitments to its allies? We have just given Russia permission to again invade Georgia and to invade the Ukraine.
The Administration states that currently Europe is only at risk for short and medium range missiles and that mobile missile systems will be sufficient. Isn’t this short term thinking? The Administration says that it may reconsider land bases in 2015. It will take time to build these bases and reconsidering them in six years may be too little, too late. Could we not have mobile defense systems and build land bases at the same time? Delaying the establishment of land bases will not improve relations with Russia for they will view it as weakness – weakness they will seek to exploit.
Last spring Congress made major cuts to our own missile defense system. Considering the current world situation this seems extremely foolish. Are we really taking defense seriously? Can not Congress at least do something to reinstate funds for our missile defense system?
Can they not also do something to restore our credibility to the defense of our allies?
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