Obama's Anti-Missile
Gambit Pursued for the Greater Good
"The
strategy isn't without risk. … but Obama must secure
support for further sanctions on Iran. Given how far Iran’s nuclear program has
progressed, this will perhaps be the last chance to make the mullahs an offer
they can't refuse."
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev: Will Russia help President Obama deal with Iran's nuclear program? It is on this basis that his decision to scrap the East European anti-missile shield will be measured.
Plans for an American anti-missile
shield in Europe have been scrapped, at least in their original form. Yesterday
the persistent rumors were finally confirmed. Instead there are now discussions
about a more flexible system to improve its effectiveness.
Under an earlier agreement
between Poland and the United States, ten anti-missile missiles were to be
installed in Poland by 2013.
Russia had opposed the plan -
and loudly. And this, despite the fact that missile defense was intended as a
protection against long-range missiles from Iran, thus posing no threat to
Russia. This wouldn’t have upset the balance of power or in any way neutralize Russia's
huge arsenal of nuclear missiles. But Russia's reaction and anger were triggered
by a connected issue.
The missile shield was seen
as a way for the U.S. to advance its position, further strengthening ties with
the now-free nations that were once part of the Soviet Union and which remain in
a region that Russia considers it own backyard.
Russia is eager to present
itself as the superpower country that - fortunately - it isn't. Obama is being accommodating
by agreeing to scrap the missile shield.
The strategy isn't without
risk. This summer in
an open letter, a number of once leading European politicians, including former
Czech President Vaclav Havel and Poland's Lech Walesa, warned Obama about
giving in to Russian demands. They instead urged the U.S. to engage itself more
deeply with Europe's security and to strengthen - not weaken - transatlantic
military ties. "Russia is back as a
revisionist power pursuing a 19th-century agenda with 21st-century tactics and
methods."
Posted
by WORLDMEETS.US
Obama wants to thaw frosty
relations with Russia. But this is apparently about a problem more pressing than
relations between Washington and Moscow: the possibility of building a strong
international coalition against Iran.
There could be a connection
between yesterday’s announcement and signs of a possible Russian shift in
attitude toward the regime in Tehran.
As recently as last week,
Russian Foreign Minister SergejLavrov
dismissed the idea of any further sanctions on Iran. On Tuesday, one sensed the
opposite message from President Dmitry Medvedev: “Sanctions as a whole are not
very effective, but they are sometimes necessary and could provide the way
forward.”
On October 1, it will be time
for yet another round of negotiations - during which Iran intends to discuss
anything and everything but what they are intended for: the country’s nuclear
development program.
Before the meeting, Obama must
secure support for further sanctions. Given how far Iran’s nuclear program has
progressed, this will perhaps be the last chance to make the mullahs an offer
they can't refuse.
Seen in this light, sacrificing
the missile shield seems like a reasonable exchange - particularly when older plans
could later be given a new lease on life. After all, they might be needed if
Iran does manage to become a nuclear power.
