Czech Mayors call on Obama to drop Missile defense Shield!
Meanwhile The Russian foreign minister said on Friday that Moscow and Washington were unlikely to reach a final agreement on a planned U.S. missile shield for central Europe during talks in December. Commenting on the possible replacement of outgoing U.S. Under Secretary of State John Rood as the U.S. top negotiator at missile shield talks with Moscow, Sergei Lavrov said: "If for some reason we see a reshuffling of personnel, I do not think this will have any impact on our position," Sergei Lavrov said.
"The essence of the problem, though, is that we are unlikely to finally dot all the i's in December," he said. He admitted however that progress on the issue could be made through "holding frank conversations and sticking to earlier reached agreements." Moscow has fiercely opposed the planned U.S. deployment of 10 interceptor missiles in Poland and a radar in the Czech Republic, saying they will pose a threat to its national security. Washington has said the bases are necessary in order to counter possible strikes from "rogue" states like Iran.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev earlier threatened to deploy Iskander-M short-range missiles in the country's Kaliningrad exclave, which borders NATO members Poland and Lithuania, if the U.S. missile defense system was deployed in central Europe. However, Medvedev subsequently said in an interview with France's Figaro newspaper that Russia could "reconsider this response if the new U.S. administration is ready to once again review and analyze all the consequences of its decisions to deploy the missiles and radar facilities. US and Russia unlikely to agree period
Trying to make light of the situation This is what passes for humor in Kaliningrad these days: Iskander missile tourism. Dipping deep into his reservoir of black humor, Vladimir N. Abramov tries out this sales pitch for his region, a cold war garrison turned European trade hub that may, once again, become a staging ground for missiles pointed west. "Attracting tourists to see an Iskander is a creative idea," said Abramov, a political scientist. "Especially for the Poles. When it is flying toward them, they may not be able to see it. Come to Kaliningrad! Pose next to the missile which is going to kill you."
Somewhere behind the joke is a real question about the future of Kaliningrad. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Moscow has devised a series of plans for this old military outpost, wedged on the Baltic Sea between Lithuania and Poland. Former President Boris Yeltsin saw it as the Russian Hong Kong, a free trade zone to entice foreign investors. Yeltsin's successor, Vladimir Putin, drew it closer to Moscow, planning a nuclear power plant that would export energy to Europe. As oil and gas wealth poured into Russia, more ideas emerged: Las Vegas-style gambling, for instance, and a constellation of luxury resorts.
The most recent idea arrived early this month, when President Dmitri Medvedev said Russia would stage short-range Iskander missiles in Kaliningrad if the United States proceeded with missile defense facilities in the Czech Republic and Poland. The proposal is seen by many as rhetorical — a bargaining chip to use with a new American president. But if carried out, it would mark Kaliningrad's first rearming against the West since the end of the Soviet Union, and another twist in an old identity crisis: Is it Russia's window, open to Europe, or a turret for firing on it? Black humor regarding Kalingrad missiles
* While all this is going on amidst the deepening created financial crises in the US and the world and the worsening so called Terrorism highlighted in Mumbai that I emphasize once again is just beginning and like everything will get much worse I reiterate Obama said while running for President that he had no stance on the missile defense shield and I have faith he will do the right thing there too and diffuse the situation Bush created. I reiterate give Obama a chance and the world will not be disappointed!
James Joiner
Gardner, Ma
www.anaveragepatriot.com
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4 comments:
Miss political nincompoop doesn't know what to say other than that MD 23 is posted and you are still missed on facebook.
lol
Hi monique!
You just reminded me that I saw you had 23 up. I was just caught up in a new world wide civilian media thing I have been involved with of late. It is really good. Just what I have been looking for! By the way I was talking to Tom yesterday and he said Hi! I still have yet to get any indication from face book! I will make sure I come by M D to kear the latest so thanks Monique. Bear with me!
You're right James -- Obama must review this silly Bush missile shield policy. Who would ever believe that it's there as a shield against potential Iranian attacks. C'mon! Bush was speaking from his backside when he said that.
That shield is really unecessary in the scheme of East-West armament capability. No missile shield will protect you and me against Russian belligerence if they really want to. It will be MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction). Such move will not be taken as a sign of cowardice -- it is common sense.
We should all support an Obama peace initiative and train our guns instead at those guys who are launching assymetric warfare against the West.
At the same time, keep an eye on Russia -- but we do need to give them some space after all, they know as well as we do, that we are capable of going into MAD and of creating potholes on every square foot of Russian soil if they become unreasonable.
Hill Blogger
I forget what seasoned Politician I was listening too yesterday but he said the same thing but not as in depth as I have been saying for years!
In a nutshell the MDS has already done its job. It was designed to instigate Russia to the Forever War! If peace was the goal we would have put it in Britain per their request not on Russia's door step to goad them! What will Obama do here too is the big question?
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