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Economist: Missile Defense in Europe

October 18, 2007 :: The Economist :: Analysis

The Economist published an analysis the U.S. plan to deploy ten Ground Based Interceptors in Poland and an X-band radar facility in the Czech Republic. While Poland and the Czech Republic are historically more pro-American than other European countries, the United States has faced difficulty in winning public support for the plan. Instead of offering sweeteners to Poland to accept a deal that angers neighboring Russia, "the diplomatic notes requesting the bases even came with prepared replies attached." The highhanded tone was also used in the Czech Republic, were possible public health risks associated with the radar were not directly addressed. The Economist concludes that:

Better diplomacy could ease worries in Poland and the Czech Republic. But two questions remain. One is whether missile defences, hugely profitable to contractors, will work in reality. The other is why Russia is making such a fuss. Both geography and arithmetic support the American argument that the system is meant to counter a handful of missiles that might one day be fired from Iran, rather than the Kremlin's colossal nuclear arsenal, which can be launched from land, sea and air.

 (Article)

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