President Obama Signals to Russia Missile Defense Shield Can Vanish If Iran Doesn't Get Nukes

So basically the empty suit is begging Russia to do his work with Iran? Yea, i'm sure Russia would really have America's best interest in mind.

The Russians don't want a missle system that can not only keep track of Russian missles but also to be able to knock them out of the sky. The old saying goes (What you do not know want hurt you) If we do not place the early warning in place we are opening the fron door and bad door to our long time friend (read RUSSIA) hello anyone at home when it comes to our so call friends. The current President better wae up and smell the coffee unles he wants to learn Russian or Iranian.

HEY can we all get along,we need food for starving people around the world,not freaking nukes.
W E NEED BREAD NOT BOMBS OK.

Real progress.I have been waiting for a President who undresatands the new realities of the world.
President Barack Obama is that kind of guy.Talking to the russians makes sense and i hope we will see new and positive steps in this direction.
We need peace and security in the world.

Let the Europeans enjoy the full flavor of Muscovite tyranny and Bolshevism under Putin's iron fist.

It's about time that the Europeans see to their own defense. They are so superior to us lowly Americans, I'm sure they'd be better off.

Cutting deals behind someone else's back is about par for the course. Trying to pull a crooked deal with the Russians, eh, Mr Obama? Well I guess thats the only way he can 'negotiate' since he's a crook and a liar himself. Where's the honesty and integrity, Mr Obama, or do you know what that means?

Why on earth is obama allowed to run free? He does not have a clue as to what he is doing nor the danger he imposes to the US.

I think Our Current Government does not have a clue as to what is going on in this world, or on the home front. I don't think they know what the next step could possibly be to solve any of our problems. I FEAR THEY DON'T HAVE A CLUE

A year & a half back or so The US National Intelligence Report said that Iran was not that close to a bomb (almost implying that Iran really was not that much of a threat). Many thought that this was just ‘Political Appeasement’ to the world and Liberals in general (this report was independent & President Bush has no control over it). Even the IAEA thought it was Pollyannaish.

Much of the world accepted it, though, as some sort of Absolute Truth (a report a few months ago said much of the world had backed off pressuring Iran because of it -- and many Liberals applauded it as just what they wanted to hear -- other evidence be damned)

Now, some new evidence says they have enough for one bomb and maybe more (and even more in a few months). Have Liberals ever heard of “Erring on the Side of Caution’. Lets see if Obum has the ‘Experience’ to Know what to do !!!

If Not, Israel probably will………..

"If the new (U.S.) administration shows common sense and offers a new (missile defence) structure which would satisfy European (needs) ... and would be acceptable for us, we are ready to discuss it," Medvedev said on Tuesday.

In other words, deploy it where we say you can deploy it. Keep it out of countries we formally occupied and brutalized for 50 years, even if they want it.

I'm a fan of the BMD program. Anything that can deter the 15 minute destruction scenario is a good thing. In fact, I think we should develop a system with Russia and make nuclear ballistic missile attack obsolete. I just don't think Russia wants that leveling power to happen with their inability to modernize.

"Your solution seems to be to take a dump on said doorstep(by pushing ahead with BMD sites in former bloc nations) and dare the Russians to react."

No, I said it would be stupid to scrap the program on a handshake on Russian cooperation, something we already have. That would be a huge mistake.

"Pulling the BMD back from say Poland while getting Russian cooperation with Iran is a good deal."

Again, Russia already has a HUGE, MUCH LARGER vested interested in Iran not getting nukes than we do. Iran supports Chechnya, they don't need any incentive more than that. So it's a horrible deal. Did you fully read my posts below?

The Russian side

"If the new (U.S.) administration shows common sense and offers a new (missile defence) structure which would satisfy European (needs) ... and would be acceptable for us, we are ready to discuss it," Medvedev said on Tuesday.

"If we are talking about any 'swaps' (Iran for missile defence) this is not how the question is being put. This would not be productive," he told a news conference in Madrid, where he was on a state visit.

Medvedev's comments signalled possible flexibility by Moscow on an issue that contributed to a sharp deterioration in ties between Russia and the United States under former U.S. President George W. Bush and then-Russian President Vladimir Put

""if they can help us, cooperate with us, to eliminate that threat from Iran," there will be no need to build the missile defense system."

Ok now I'm confused. That statement right there sounds like a carefully veiled offer. Also I think it is a false assumption to think Russia was not working with us to eliminate that threat from Iran. Both the Bush Administration and Putin put forth an economic incentive package for Iran that included refineries and Light Water Nuke power plants that Iran refused. They want plants with weapons grade material. So I'm not sure what they hoped to gain with that whole statement.

The truth vs Peach's bs

"The report that was in The New York Times didn't accurately characterize the letter," Obama said after meeting British Prime Minister Gordon Brown for talks at the White House.

"What I said in the letter is what I have said publicly, which is that the missile defence that we have talked about deploying is directed towards, not Russia, but Iran," he said.

"And what I said ... was that, obviously, to the extent that we are lessening Iran's commitment to nuclear weapons, then that reduces the pressure for, or the need for a missile defence system."

"I had not bunched you in with that crew of posters, but it's quite telling that you did."

Doh, my apologies. I had assumed wrongly. I try my best to stay as level as possible in these discussions. I do have passionate feelings when it comes to national defense though so, out of the posts I had below, I wasn't sure if I had gone over the line. Again, my apologies.

So Russia basically makes fun of Obama and completely blows him off, and what does Obama do? Says he never offered a missile deal to Russia.

UPDATE:

AP: Obama on Tuesday denied offering Russia a deal in which Washington would slow deployment of a missile defense shield in Europe in exchange for Moscow's help in a nuclear stand-off with Iran.

"Interesting reading the childish right wing hysterics."

Ok we'll keep it simple.

I had not bunched you in with that crew of posters, but it's quite telling that you did.

"I've never heard of WH correspondence not made public as "secret."

I don't really know kat, don't disagree with your really. I think the content of the letter sparked off some interest in the media because it has some controversial content. Media do what media do. I think they made the assumption, because it contained controversial content, they tried to hide it from the public.

In terms of national security, that's actually important to maintain that secrecy. It could be that the Russians released it to the press to show Obamas hand. Could be a diplomatic maneuver. Who knows.

"Interesting reading the childish right wing hysterics."

Ok we'll keep it simple.

Russia has a problem with Chechnya rebels, who are muslim. Iran has professed support to Chechnyan rebels, which poses a diplomatic problem for Russia, but also affirms their desire to prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons. They already have a stance on this because of their Chechnya problem. Thats not hysterics, it's facts.

The BMD program is something Russia cannot afford to develop. They tried but scrapped their attempts in 1990. Their ballistic missile fleet is the largest in the world, costs tons of money to keep up, and is their major influence chip in the big game. If Europe adopts a missile shield, their hegemony power is diminished greatly. They have a determined interest in the BMD program not being in Europe. Again, not hysterics, its facts.

For BMD to be most effective, it needs to be dispersed, like a network similar to the internet, interlinked and mutually supporting. The more places it is, the more effective it is at intercepting ballistic missiles. Thus our push, for our own defense, to have more nations employ the system. So fact, the BMD system benefits us and our allies. Russia does not consider us an ally, still a strategic competitor, so they do not want us or our allies to have it.

Thus, we are at a diplomatic and strategic impasse with Russia.

What Obama has done is offer up the scrapping of the program and package it into something Russia already wants, thus we get no gain in the deal, only a loss. Not a good idea for our strategic position in the world.