McCain Calls Obama’s Missile Defense Move ‘Seriously Misguided’ But Will It Work?

it is sad to see the US, under the Obama administration, once again abandon Poland and Eastern Europe to threats from Russia and get caught in the middle between large EU members and Russia economically and militarily. Of course, Obama was quick to abandon Georgia but some thought that was simply because he was so ill-prepared for office. Now Obama has had several months in office and can’t use that excuse this time. Sorry, Poland, Hungary, Czech, Georgia, Serbia, etc. The people are with you even if Obama isn’t.

McCain is right. We have just thrown 2 allies under the bus to appease Russia. Russia will not quit selling technology to Iran or NK. We made agreements on security that would benefit us and our allies and backed out because Obama is afraid of Russia….period. I would rather him admit appeasement then tell me we have a different approach with proven, cost-effective existing systems. Translation: What we have is good enough and Russia might be happier this way.

does this make mc cain a racist? perhaps jimmy carter would think so. all aside i sure hope this administartion is doing the right thing here.

The best way to address current Russian leadership is to establish essential trade. OTOH you can use the more mobile tech against Russian incursion. This move seems fine to me.

The rationale behind the proposed deployment had nothing to do with Russian “adventurism.” The fear was that Iran would attack Europe with long range missiles. Russia offered a compromise site that would have been acceptable, but it was turned down.
The only Russian adventure that McCain can be talking about is Georgia, which has traditionally been a part of Russia in the same way that South Carolina is part of the USA.
However, McCain’s campaign advisor had been Georgia’s chief lobbyist in Washington for years, so all we heard was the opinions of Shaakashvili, an eloquent Harvard graduate who wanted to rule Georgia as an independent state.
Now, the missile shield is being discussed as if it had been planned as a defense against Russia all along, although we’ve denied that repeatedly.
Russia even offered one or two compromise sites that we turned down.
It would be better if we could get some distance from our conviction that everything Obama does is wrong, weak, soft, and socialist. The chief beneficiaries of this program would have been the CEOs of Raytheon and General Dynamics.
We should also remember that this would have been enormously costly. The Poles, for intance, rejected our proposal until we bribed them by agreeing to pour American dollars into beefing up their military.
Can we drop the knee-jerk reflexes against Obama and use some perspective? It’s all becoming a little tiresome.

I am surprised that McCain stayed awake long enough to make these statements.

Georgia traditionally part of Russia? Where did you get that information-out of “The Great Soviet Encyclopedia”?Georgia has NEVER been part of Russia.It has been in the Russian Empire and the USSR,but Russians are not Georgians and vice versa.

“Well i think Obama has a lot on his plate. These are so many issues he is dealing with and he is carrying a lot of weight. This missile thing is so unimportant. I also think bush and cheney pushed this project since they are deeply invested in the businesses that manufacture these weapons. Its a waste of money!”
A lot on his plate? Welcome to the office of POTUS. “Waste of Money?” To keep the peace, prepare for war. Two nuclear club nations have not engaged each other since 1945, on any level…for a reason.
You simply cannot bury your head in the sand and hope that everyone in this world is peaceful. If you have not served as a protector of this great Nation, keep your opinions to yourself as to how to safeguard it’s borders and citizens.

Scraping the system is short sighted. When dealing with Russia, Iran, N Korea and anybody else that pops up the U.S. must do so from a position of strenght. Scraping the missile defense system is an act of weakness in the eyes of our enemies and they will take advantage of it. Obama is in way over his head and for the well being of our country I hope he gets it together real soon. If the US falls so does the rest of the world.

Time for Obummer to go on another vacation

Nonsense. McCain needs to retire already and go live in one his 8 homes. We should spend billions in Europe that is needed at home for what…we already can destroy and overkill Iran and Russia 1000 times over. Do we need to overkill it 1001 times? Enough of this nonsense of building more weapons that isn’t needed. Spend the money here at home. The Europeans are not worrying about this boogeyman left over from the previous clown administration. Times have change, we need to the same. The threat to the USA is economics and our own home breed idiots that think we should spend every dollar on bombs. The Chineese and Russians figured that out already, that why we borrow from China and Russia sells us their oil. Bombs?…dumbest thing ever. Besides, we have Palin who can keep an eye on the Russians from her window. Mental midgets are back again.

“”"”"”YOU LOSE…”"”"”
Posted by: Melanie
No, with this decision we all lose. What’s funny is there was never a defense against installing this system by our government or by democrats on these blogs. Land based interceptors are spread around the globe. This system was specifically for long range nuclear weapons from Iran. From las month to this month, is the threat any less real? According to the IAEA it is even more real today and we are removing one level of protection and stabbing a couple allies in the back while we do it. THOSE ARE FACTS.

“”"”"”"”"”"we already can destroy and overkill Iran and Russia 1000 times over. Do we need to overkill it 1001 times? “”"”"”"
Posted by: jake
We’re talking about a defensive shield to block their missiles. If we have to fire our missiles, wouldn’t you rather not have any of theirs intercepted instead of detonation above our cities? If a fight breaks out, would you not want a good defense. Obama is telling you our existing technology is better than the planned system over there. Do you believe him?

“”"”"I think you work for a subcontractor and your company is losing out on the President change in policy…”"”"”
Posted by: Melanie
Actually first I never called you a liar. I work for the company that stands to gain because of this decision. My company makes the sea based systems. And I am not a subcontractor, I am in management. I have spent the last 30 years in the defense industry and in my travels, you start understanding different cultures. I think the IAEA solidified the threat from Iran and I knw this decision made Iran feel better about their ambitions.

geecee — So we stabbed 2 allies in the back over “posturing”? Don’t think so. This was a good “political” decision for Russia and the US and a bad “political” decision for Czech and Poland.

It’s one thing to remake and destroy our health care system. It’s one thing to reward UAW by throwing out established contract law and sweeten union benefits in the bailout.
THis — well, this action by our utterly inept president could kill us all.

Isn’t the Bush-Cheney administration the ones who took us into Iraq to fight “Weapons of Mass Destruction”? And wasn’t this the same administration who declared the war in Iraq is officially over. Personally I think we should scrutinize everything they put into motion. Kudos to the current Administration for recognizing the good that the Bush administration did but having the intellect to understand that there are alternative paths to accomplish the same objective. Be carefull ABC you are liable to be labeled a liberal, communist, marxist,socialist propoganda media outlet

Such Harsh words on both sides. Ther is not one person who has made a comment that continually knows all the facts. We (Americans) only know as much as we are told by the media. 1 week out of 9 months is GREAT compared to 965 in 8 years. Holy Cow. If Russia does not concide to the pressure from the US, perhaps there are steps in place to create a new system wihtout spending billions of dollars to make sure we are safe. We are not the Worlds Police! Many get upset because we are not building and yet if we were they are the same people who would critize the cost. Therefore, no matter what he does or does not do to some, it will be wrong no matter what. He may need to take a step back refocus and regroup in regards to all current events.

Obama promised change and that is what you are getting. He will turn out to be the best President the US will have ever had. When there is peace in the world one does not need bombs. America is bankrupt and that is not because of Obama. He is still paying for pushes unpaid bills. He is cleaning up the mess. lobbyists and big corporations are kicking and screaming and are brainwashing the uneducated and racists to do the dirty work for them. America, this president is working for you, not for lobbyist. Obama is a honest and a true Christian man.

McCain’s response is spot on. Why on earth did Obama cancel the Bush plan? It was to keep the Russian’s happy. Iran will most vertainly be happy. It can surge ahead with its plans for Israel’s destruction.

McCain? Isn’t this the same guy who signed a confession for the Commies – who dumped his greviously injured 1st wife for an heiress – and who chose a VP that guaranteed his loss in the last election? Who cares what he says?

Obama has just made a tactical move. Tells Russia that the Bush plan is scrapped but in essence it is not. Obama is smarter than we credit him.
The next administration can build it anyway. So no need to panic.

Well Obama does with friends of the US the same way he does his friends. Throw the under the bus. This action puts the Easter Europe countries in danger and the US. Obama’s way is appeasement. Strength is the only thing countries like Russia and Iran understand. Appeasement they laught at and walk all over those who try it.

Well Obama does with friends of the US the same way he does his friends. Throw the under the bus. This action puts the Easter Europe countries in danger and the US. Obama’s way is appeasement. Strength is the only thing countries like Russia and Iran understand. Appeasement they laught at and walk all over those who try it. ————-why is it our responsibility to protect them? To hell with the rest of the world, let them protect themselves. We have enough problems of our own we can’t solve and John McCain and the rest of you misguided warhawks are worried about protecting other countries? Maybe after we can protect our own border and ports first…..honestly we just know it’s only defiance of an Obama proposal….had he continued the same program you’d all be b!tching about that too…..go away, you lost and no-one cares what the insignificant right wing thinks anymore……

It’s interesting that everything the Russians are doing looks like a copy of us… this bases in Venezuela, arms for alliances, not want missles from a super-power on their doorsteps… Interesting don’t you think? Reap what you sow?

Does anyone remember Gates telling the congress that the missile shield technology doesn’t work. Second the military and the intellegence had told Bush that his assesment was wrong but once again just like in Iraq he only listened to the few people that shared his opinion. Ronald Reagan had a stratagy that put Iraq against Iran. Bush killed that policy. Ronald Reagan reached out to Russia again a policy that Bush destroyed by putting up an expeensive non working missile shield. Were Reagan create Star Wars to bring the Russians to their knees because of defense spending, Bush is pushing them away with a system that did not meet the current threat. When will you idiots learn that the best thing a president can do is listen to the military and the military says put up a system for short and medium range threats which we are doing. The president made this decision with the advice and consent of the pentagon and Gates. Do we want a president that ignores his military again?

McCain and and his allies belong back in the 20th century.

hey Jake,
it was Poland that invoked Article 5 after 9/11
Afghanistan:
Polish troops are among the few that do the real fighting in Afghanistan.
US Gen. Ramms has disclosed a part of secrecy regarding the Polish special unit GROM, which is being stationed near Kandahar. “GROM conducts regular battles with Taliban” – says general. “These soldiers search, track down and destroy the enemy. We are very pleased with them.”
Poland also controls one of the Southern provinces of Afghanistan.
Irak:
On March 17 2003, President Kwasniewski announced that Poland would send troops to the Persian Gulf to take part in the invasion of Iraq. First combat was confirmed on March 24. Poland was one of the largest military contributors to the forces arrayed against Iraq (with the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia).
“We have got no better friend in Europe today than Poland” – said Mr. Bush after meeting Mr. Kwasniewski

(From Newsweek): To begin with, it’s important to remember that while plenty of missile defense systems capable of hitting short- and medium-range missiles exist (remember Patriots and Scuds?), none are yet capable of knocking out long-range ballistic missiles. So far, that is a theory that looked good on network-news computer graphics but that never actually existed. The idea was for radar stations in the Czech Republic to monitor missile launches from the Middle East, and for interceptor rockets in Poland to shoot them down en route to their targets. The interceptor rockets, though, don’t even work; after years of trials and billions of dollars of research, a prototype tested in Alaska still can’t reliably tell real missiles from decoys or kill missiles that change course midflight, as truly sophisticated weapons can. Not that it would have mattered: no country in the Middle East actually possesses the kind of missiles that could reach the United States, or even Northern Europe. No, what ultimately killed off missile defense was the news that Iran has nothing like the kind of long-range, Soviet-style ballistic missiles that the system was supposed to stop.

Would like Melanie to try something really novel…..Google map of the world. Review results, pick one and find Iran on the map. Tell me how in the hell a the Aegis weapon system, with a range of a little over 100 miles, is going to cover Iran. It’s an excellent system, but look at the geography. Hard to overcome. You lose.

It’s comical to see all the right winger’s “whaling” about what “Europe thinks” … Now -that’s a good one …

WOW, ‘THINK A LITTLE HARDER
What a wonderful post, very graphic, but very much
to the point. Any plans for running for POTUS?

The system planned by Bush did not exist. There were no missles. There was no radar. There has never been developed by the USA a missle system that could defend against ICBMs.