US abandons Missile Defence System in Europe

This system never made any sense to me and I always thought that the Russians were correct that it was actually aimed at them. Even so as Obama announced he was abandoning the sytem he promised ""a stronger swifter defense system to protect US allies against any threat from Iran". This is the same old crapola spouted by Bush. Perhaps the Europeans should be the ones to decide if they need defence against Iran and also should pay for it if they decide to have one! But as the article mentions there are multimillion dollar contracts involved and those who profit from them will demand something for the cancellation. The timing of this announcement is interesting. Obama has given a sop to the left at the same time as he is no doubt about to push for more troops to be sent to Afghanistan. Oh well, Obama can count on Repbublican and conservative support except for George WillGeorge Will and a few others! Abandoning the present system will improve relations with Russia. The Russians have already given permission to move supplies for Afghanistan through Russia. However Russia is also cementing ties with Venezuela.

This is from Reuters.

"'''(In a brief announcement, Obama said he was dropping a plan to base interceptor missiles in Poland and build a radar system in the Czech Republic -- a move that could ease tensions with Russia but fan regional fears of resurgent Kremlin influence.

"The best way to responsibly advance our security and the security of our allies is to deploy a missile defense system that best responds to the threats that we face and that utilizes technology that is both proven and cost effective," Obama said.

Moscow said it would welcome a decision to scrap the plans, which had complicated U.S. efforts to enlist Russian support over Afghanistan, Iran and nuclear arms control.

But critics quickly accused the White House of going soft on defense by dropping the project, which had raised hopes of huge contracts among U.S. defense giants.

Senator John McCainJohn McCain, the former Republican presidential candidate, blasted the move as "seriously misguided".

The Bush administration had proposed the system amid concerns Iran was trying to develop nuclear warheads it could mount on long-range missiles.

THREAT REASSESSMENT

The shield was intended to defend against any long-range missile launches from "rogue" states such as Iran and North Korea. Russia saw it as a threat to its missile defenses and its overall security.

Pentagon officials said the decision to move away from the shield was based on intelligence indicating Iran is focused on developing short- and medium-range missiles rather than the long-range intercontinental missiles originally feared.

Multibillion dollar contracts are at stake in the future of U.S. missile defense plans.

Boeing Co, the Pentagon's No.2 contractor, last month unveiled a proposal to build a mobile interceptor missile in a bid to blunt Russian fears of U.S. fixed sites in Europe. Boeing was also eyeing a 47,500-pound interceptor that could be flown to NATO bases as needed

(Additional reporting by Jana Mlcochova and Jan Lopatka in Prague, Gabriela Baczynska in Warsaw, Conor Sweeney in Moscow, Adam Entous and Steve HollandSteve Holland in Washington and Ross Colvin in Baghdad, Jim WolfJim Wolf, Tim Hepher; Writing by Andrew Quinn, Editing by Jackie Frank)""""