WPR's The New Rules: Obama's Missile Defense Fantasy a Pentagon Dream Come True

Given this administration’s resurging plans for regional missile defense schemes in both Europe and Asia, President Barack Obama’s recent open-mike admission to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev that he will have more freedom in his national security decision-making once he wins re-election is not a comforting thought. For a guy who promises “a world without nuclear weapons,” Obama seems awfully intent on incentivizing both Russia and China to field some more.

Read the entire column at World Politics Review.

Comments

[Ted O'Connor]

So the pitch is that Iran is going to attack Poland? How about Austria-Hungary or the Sudetenland? Where did this idea come from? Somebody checking old books out of the library at West Point?

Well, this is what happens when the citizens of a country are easily distracted by "Wardrobe Malfunctions" and Hollywood breakups. The GSA cubicle dwellers party down in Vegas and the Defense Contractors, terrified that we might actually enjoy a few years of peace, plot with the Generals to create boogey men. The Chinese are going to invade Australia and Iranian paratroopers will land in Monaco to shut down the casinos.

I can't drive on San Diego streets without hitting potholes, and the Nuclear Power Plant that sits next to Camp Pendelton Marine base has to be shut down because it is falling apart, teachers are being laid off. But we can spend billions to buy gadgets for Eastern Europe?

Are my countrymen this stupid?

[Michael]

Galrahn made an interesting point about this on Information Dissemination-- as long as Japan and company are protected by this missile shield, they're less likely to pursue a nuclear deterrent. In the long run, a potential foe who can block your blows is less worrisome than one who can throw them back at you.

[Peter Huessy]

Missiles have geopolittical purposes,among them coercion and blackmail. Rockets lauched anywhere in the vast oceans have no return address. Barnett hates missile defense just as he hates anything he did not invent or endorse and it makes good copy to sound so cool and connected that he really knows what the US does not need for its defense, and being to the left of even this administration makes him an asset over at the Nation Magazine. Putin long ago wrote that the oil of central Asia is Russia's patrimony without which Moscow goes broke and is no longer a superpower. Yes even the CRS confirmed the US and North America are the super power of energy and yes we could totally change the geostrategic landscape if we developed the resources here at home. But Barnett's buddies in the administration who he thinks are so cool are not developing these resources nor are they planning to do so; TB's liberal friends love expensive energy especially if they can get high prices through taxes and keep the revenue for more socialist schemes like high speed trains to nowhere in California. Iran nuclear weapons are an existential threat to the US as they can be delivered surreptitiously--Fareed's claim that deterrence always works is utter baloney--posting him on your website is a dead giveaway--blame the Jews and join Ron Paul and Barney Frank in the joint left right big retreat and defense sequestration!!