March 11, 2007
THOUGHT GERALD FORD WAS DEAD?:
Schrer faults U.S. on missile shield (Bloomberg News, Reuters, March 11, 2007 )
U.S. plans to build a missile shield in Poland and the Czech Republic are dangerous and absurd, former Chancellor Gerhard Schrer said Sunday."The missile defense system planned by the United States and which is to be installed in Eastern Europe is politically extremely dangerous," Schrer said during a speech in Dresden.
"It is viewed, rightly, in Russia, and not only there, as an attempt to establish an absurd encirclement policy, a policy which is everything but in the interest of Europe," he said.
The United States wants to set up a radar system in the Czech Republic and a missile battery in Poland as part of a shield that would counter missiles fired by what Washington calls "rogue states," like Iran and North Korea.
Moscow sees the system as an encroachment on its former sphere of influence and an attempt to shift the post- Cold War balance of power.
Who knew there were still folks who considered Poland and the Czech Republic to be part of a Russian spere of influence? Posted by Orrin Judd at March 11, 2007 7:28 PM
Sphere of influence?
Posted by: erp at March 11, 2007 9:17 PMHow do you "encircle" a huge country that spans Asia by placing a purely defensive weapon near one corner of it? Why should Russia care if we have the ability to use a defensive system to shoot down (a few) ballistic missiles aimed at Europe? Are they planning on launching any? They know they can overwhelm it by launching thousands more missiles than there are interceptors, so are they concerned they won't be able to launch one or two? In what way is it in Russia's interest that any ballistic missiles launched at Europe hit their targets? Is Schroder saying that if Germany could defend itself against ballistic missiles, that it wouldn't? Is there any explanation for Schroder's statement other than anti-American psychosis?
Posted by: PapayaSF at March 11, 2007 11:38 PMNever a good idea to underestimate paranoid revanchists.
They'll always find a reason....
Posted by: Barry Meislin at March 12, 2007 1:52 AMMore Krautrage. Arthur Harris, where are you now that we need you?
Posted by: Lou Gots at March 12, 2007 4:32 AM