The Obama Administration Should Declare Missile Defense Is Intended to Defend against Both Iran and Russia

    
     The Obama Administration has again stated its planned missile defense system for Europe is intended to defend against the threat of nuclear missiles from Iran, not Russia, in order to assuage Russian concerns that the shield could undermine its nuclear deterrent.  The United States and its NATO allies should publicly declare that as long as Russia is led by an authoritarian ex-KGB Communist leader and possesses thousands of nuclear warheads, the American-built missile defense system is intended to defend against Russia, as well.

     As I explain in my post from September of 2009, Obama Betrays Allies, Appeases Russia, http://williamcinfici.blogspot.com/2009/09/obama-betrays-allies-appeases-russia.html, the Obama Administration is allowing its consideration of Russian concerns to determine its placement of missiles in Eastern Europe. 

     The U.S. abrogated the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty with the former Soviet Union under President George W. Bush.  The treaty had barred missile defense.  President Ronald Reagan’s proposed missile defense system and its research and development during the Cold War was critically important to defeating the Soviets.  Bush implemented a domestic missile defense and planned to implement one in Eastern Europe to defend NATO, which President Barak Obama scrapped because of Russian objections.  Bush also concluded a treaty with Russia for both the Americans and Russians to eliminate a large number of nuclear warheads.  The treaty was ratified by both sides. 

     Obama concluded a smaller treaty with Russia, which has also been mutually ratified, that further reduces warheads.  The Obama Administration, while reassuring the Russians that the U.S. has no hostile intent toward Russia, should focus on responsible nuclear disarmament that maintains the American deterrent through a robust program of modernization and testing. It could work with the Russians on missile defense without sacrificing American interests or those of its allies.  Among those interests are the right to avoid intimidation by an increasingly aggressive Russia.

     Regardless of any potential threat from Russia, the concern about the threat from Iran must supercede Russian concerns, as the Islamist Shi’ite Iranian regime, unlike atheistic Communists, believes in martyrdom through suicide attacks on “infidels.”  But the proximity and massive capability of Russia's nuclear arsenal cannot be ignored, even in diplomatic speech.  Although the U.S. should avoid unnecessary provocations of Russia while the two continue to cooperate in other matters, it must make it clear to the Russians that it will act in its interests.