Killing European Missile Defense

European news suggests that the proposed US missile defense sites in the Czech Republic and Poland aren't going to be built after all. That's a great thing in my mind - saving four billion dollars for a premature weapon system that's designed for a nuclear missile that hasn't been built. From DefenseNews:

Washington will scrap plans to put anti-missile bases in Poland and the Czech Republic and is looking at alternatives including Israel and Turkey, a Polish newspaper reported Aug. 27, citing U.S. officials.

The U.S. plan, intended for defense against attacks from Iran, has met with fierce objections from Russia, which regarded the eastern European bases as a threat to its own security.

Leading Polish daily Gazeta Wyborcza cited administration officials and lobbyists in Washington in support of its story.

Pro-missile shield lobbyist Riki Ellison said the signals from the Pentagon were "absolutely clear," with U.S. authorities scouting for alternatives sites, the paper reported.

The State Dept says it's not true, but I agree with Rob Farley and Matt Yglesias when they both say that this is, if accurate news, a good thing. If Obama gave it to Medvedev as a down payment for arms control, all the better. The Polish and Czech governments never wanted this as "protection" from Russia; it was a good thing for them to get closer ties with the US government and it was easy money for them. But Iran's not going to be firing missiles at Europe - it's an insane notion. Let's move past this embarrassment. 

Comments

[Ray]

It's just as daft to accept that the inside government of Russia seriously believes that the system is a threat to their security- unless it's the bobs and bits that would have to accompany such a system; like American advisors etc; and give or take a McDonalds or two.
Another thing, J. What is meant by "arms control" deal with the Russians- not their market in arms sales, surely. After all, the US is currently world leader in that- does that mean that the US would scale down it's sales?

[Technology Slice]

The missile defence system was a bad idea in the first place.

[J.]

Ray - I should have clarified that. Has nothing to do with conventional arms sales, in which the US govt leads the world (USA! USA!). Big concern has been the need to get a new nuclear arms control treaty (START) in place before the current one expires in December, thus ongoing negotiations between Russia and US, which could be imperiled by US govt deciding to build missile defense sites in Poland and Czech Republic.

No question that the system is not a threat, but it's a perception thing, and Russia wants to be viewed as influential and significant today. Being able to stop these missile sites would be good PR for its government, seen as pushing back against the US imperialists. I don't see it as a propaganda win as much as pragmatic decision of value-added and the cost of the damn system (both start-up and long-term sustainment). We don't need it either as a "defense" for Europe or as a deterrence option against Iran.

[Ray]

Thanks J.