I have been left a little speechless after Obama’s actions yesterday. The Obama has abandoned the anti-missile shield in Poland and the Czech Republic for a less effective and more expensive sea based alternative. Actually the land based system would cost half of what the sea based system would cost. And the systems that were to be placed in Europe are proven entities. Obama’s rationale for this move was that they determined that Iran’s long-range missile program hasn’t progressed as rapidly as previously estimated. The Heritage Foundation blows this logic right out of the water with five bullet comments. Here are the first two:
- On February 2nd, Iran successfully launched a satellite into orbit using a rocket with technology similar to that used in a long-range ballistic missile.
- On May 20th, Iran test-fired a 1200-mile solid-fueled two-stage ballistic missile.
The other 3 relate to long range missiles and nuclear weapons. And others such as the IAEA agree. From a Breitbart report yesterday: “Experts at the world’s top atomic watchdog are in agreement that Tehran has the ability to make a nuclear bomb and is on the way to developing a missile system able to carry an atomic warhead, according to a secret report seen by the AP.”
So what was the response from Eastern Europe? ”Betrayal! The U.S. sold us to Russia and stabbed us in the back.” And I can see why. Just last year Russia invaded Georgia for control over an oil line, and last winter Russia cut off gas to the Ukraine leaving many without heat. They have also recently signed weapon and oil deals with Chavez’s Venezuela. In addition to all of this, they are refusing to agree to impose stricter sanctions on Iran because of their nuclear weapons program. I would say we got nothing in return, but that may not be the case. According to Reuters almost immediately after the abrupt policy change, Putin announced he would be meeting with key executives from GE and Morgan Stanley. In case you do not know, GE CEO Jeff Immelt sits on Obama’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board, and also owns the Obama propaganda machine known as MSNBC. No conflict of interest there.
The Reuters report also made another interesting point. They say that in the Czech Republic, it would likely strengthen the leftist Social Democrats and weaken the center-right government who is pro U.S. I wonder if this is an intended consequence to weaken a European government that leans more to the right. I guess no one will ever know for sure.
I also wonder if the naive administration currently in office thought that this move would help them get concessions from Russia, but that has not happened. And probably will not. Here is a short report from Heritage’s Ariel Cohen who just spent some time with Russian officials with regards to what happened yesterday.
There is no doubt that these actions by Obama will not help our cause with Iran whose leader recently said that the Holocaust “is a lie based on an unprovable and mythical claim,” and that Israel “will not last long. Do not tie your fate to it.” With Russia’s refusal to make Iran accountable, it appears are only hope now is that Iran implodes internally. But unfortunately I do not think the opposition is strong enough. Yet.
Comments on this entry are closed.