TWO BIRDS WITH ONE BRILLIANT PEBBLE:

US missile shield plan risks sowing EU disunity (Mark Beunderman, 2/19/07, EU Observer)

EU disunity is looming over US plans to build an anti-missile shield in Poland and the Czech republic, with Germany saying over the weekend that Russia should be consulted over the scheme. [...]

Germany has now expressed understanding for the Russian position, with German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier telling daily Handelsblatt over the weekend that "in view of the strategic nature of these sorts of projects, I am pleading for caution and for an intensive dialogue with all the partners directly and indirectly affected."

"Because the sites for the stationing are getting nearer to Russia, one should have talked about it with Russia beforehand," Mr Steinmeier said, with reports indicating that existing US anti-missile facilities are currently limited to bases in the US itself.

The remarks of Mr Steinmeier - the former cabinet chief of ex-German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder who maintained close ties with Mr Putin - were echoed by German defence minister Franz Josef Jung, who is a member of the more Russia-critical conservatives.

Mr Jung told the daily Neue Osnabruecker Zeitung that "Given our common security interests we should make sure that also in the future, NATO and Russia are developing on the basis of partnership."

Germany's stance risks colliding with that of Poland and the Czech Republic, which have indicated they are interested in responding positively to the US request.

We get missile defense, strengthen our ties to our true allies and help
kill off the EU. Sounds good to me!

Posted by Bryan Francoeur at February 21, 2007 6:26 PM