Fearing Abandonment By New US President Czechs Delay Missile Shield
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US allies reassessing… Israel has already declared “strategic independence.” UK points to catastrophic consequences of self absorbed US in pre-World War II times.
Wednesday the Czech government delayed a final vote on two agreements with Washington to deploy part of a missile shield system on Czech soil until it can “judge the attitude” of a new US president. Their trepidation is primarily over questions raised by an Obama administration but they also want assurances from McCain if he is elected.
Russia and leftist members of the Czech parliament oppose the installation.
Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek said his government will delay the ratification process by six more weeks so that the final vote on the agreements, which must be ratified by both houses of parliament, would take place after the inauguration of US President George W. Bush’s successor in late January.
Initially, the Czechs were planning to ratify the missile shield agreements without waiting for the US presidential election results. But, Russia has been joined by liberal Czechs who are pressuring its former vassal state to delay. Statements during the US presidential campaign about slashing defense budgets have added to concerns and created concerns and general confusion in the Czech Republic and elsewhere.
The plan calls for a radar facility in the and 10 interceptor missiles in neighboring Poland by 2011-2013 to complete a system already in place in the United States, Greenland and Britain.
Washington insists the shield, endorsed by NATO this year, is to fend off potential missile attacks by “rogue states” such as Iran.
Moscow, however, has vehemently objected to the stationing of the missile defenses in the former Soviet bloc countries, insisting that the system could one day be turned against Russia’s nuclear deterrent.
The US Defense Intelligence Agency says that Iran could have long-range missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons by 2015 to 2017 that could strike Europe, and points out a decision is needed to be ready in time to defend against that threat.