US: We won't be building the missile shield in Poland

[Martinus]

So Polish news sites are reporting that Obama confirmed that the US will not be building missile rocket launchers in Poland and the Czech Republic.

Kudos to Obama for choosing a perfect date to announce that: 70th anniversary of the Soviet invasion against Poland.

[Razgovory]

Is there a fear that Russians will paratroop into Poland from ICBMs or is it you just wanted to be primary strategic targets in a nuclear war?

[Martinus]

CNN is covering it now:

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/americas/09/17/united.states.missile.shield/index.html

Reports: U.S. suspends missile defense shield plans

Story Highlights
Newspaper reports U.S. has shelved plans for missile defense shield
Spokeswoman for Polish Defense Ministry says plan suspended in Poland
Spokeswoman for U.S. Embassy in Warsaw says no final decision made
Decision would likely appease Russia which had fiercely opposed the plans
(CNN) -- The United States has suspended Bush-administration plans for a missile defense shield in Poland, the Polish Ministry of Defense said Thursday, a move likely to appease Russia, which had fiercely opposed the plans.

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

A spokeswoman at the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw, however, said the decision had not been finalized.

"At this point, the review (of the decision) is still ongoing," said Jeanne Brigante, the embassy's press attache. "We don't have an announcement of a decision yet."

The Wall Street Journal reported overnight that the White House will shelve plans to build the system in Poland and the Czech Republic, according to people familiar with the matter.

The paper said the United States will base its decision on a determination that Iran's long-range missile program has not progressed as rapidly as previously estimated, reducing the threat to the continental United States and major European capitals, according to current and former U.S. officials.

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden declined to comment Thursday on whether a decision had been made to end plans for the missile defense shield.

Speaking to CNN's Chris Lawrence in Baghdad, Iraq, where Biden is on a brief trip, the vice president said only that he doesn't think there is an immediate threat to the United States and its allies from Iran.

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

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 on Thursday morning. The Defense Department has not announced what will be discussed, but Cartwright is the point man for the missile defense shield program. See how the system would work »

A U.S. delegation held a high-level official meeting with the Poles on Thursday morning, at which they discussed the missile defense system, a spokesman for the Polish Foreign Ministry told CNN. The talks lasted for about an hour, after which the delegation left Poland for the Czech Republic, where a similar meeting was planned, he said.

The spokesman said he would not confirm the outcome of the meeting until U.S. President Barack Obama speaks about the issue.

The meeting in Prague was to include the Czech Foreign Ministry, the Ministry of Defense and the U.S. delegation, at which an analysis of the defense shield would be presented, a spokesman for the Czech Ministry of Defense and U.S. Embassy spokesman John Vance told CNN.

The defense ministry spokesman did not say the program had been scrapped.

There was no comment Thursday morning from officials in Russia, which has opposed the U.S. plans to build the missile shield so close to its western border. The United States proposed the plan under then-President W. George Bush; the Obama administration has since been reviewing the plan.

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."

[Viking]

Is there a fear that Russians will paratroop into Poland from ICBMs or is it you just wanted to be primary strategic targets in a nuclear war?

The Poles wanted uniformed American personnel on Polish soil as well as being useful to their largest and most important ally.

[jimmy olsen]

 

[Warspite]

Regardless of the substance of hte decision - awful, awful timing.

[Valmy]

The date is very symbolic...symbolic of the new non-aggression pact Obama just signed with the Russians.

The United States gets everything west of the Vistula.

[Ed Anger]

[Martinus]

The date is very symbolic...symbolic of the new non-aggression pact Obama just signed with the Russians.

The United States gets everything west of the Vistula.

I can live with that.

[DisturbedPervert]

The paper said the United States will base its decision on a determination that Iran's long-range missile program has not progressed as rapidly as previously estimated, reducing the threat to the continental United States and major European capitals

Nothing to worry about, the Iranians will only be able to wipe out the Jews

[Malthus]

It's a matter of cultural sensitivity.

The US will not interfere with Russia's rights to carry out its traditional "trample on Poland when it wants to" folkway. 

[jimmy olsen]

The Poles should threaten to build their own nuclear deterrent if the missile system is not put in.

[Valmy]

The Poles should threaten to build their own nuclear deterrent if the missile system is not put in.

The Poles can rely on the French and the British to loyally protect them.

They should build a Maginot missle shield.

[Ed Anger]

The date is very symbolic...symbolic of the new non-aggression pact Obama just signed with the Russians.

The United States gets everything west of the Vistula.

I can live with that.

No marriage for you.

[Razgovory]

The Poles should threaten to build their own nuclear deterrent if the missile system is not put in.

Oh that's fucking brilliant.