Obama: NATO Will Build Missile Shield for Europe
- Posted on November 19, 2010 at 6:59pm by
Meredith Jessup
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LISBON, Portugal – President Barack Obama won NATO summit agreement Friday to build a missile shield over Europe, an ambitious commitment to protect against Iranian attack while demonstrating the alliance’s continuing relevance — but at the risk of further aggravating Russia.
On another major issue, Obama and the allies are expected to announce plans on Saturday to begin handing off security responsibility in Afghanistan to local forces next year and to complete the transition by the end of 2014.
That end date is three years beyond the time that Obama has said he will start withdrawing U.S. troops, and the challenge is to avoid a rush to the exits as public opinion turns more sharply against the war and Afghan President Hamid Karzai pushes for greater Afghan control.
While celebrating the missile shield decision, Obama also made a renewed pitch for Senate ratification back in the U.S. of a nuclear arms treaty with Russia, asserting that Europeans believe rejection of the deal would hurt their security and damage relations with the Russians.
Two key unanswered questions about the missile shield — will it work and can the Europeans afford it? — were put aside for the present in the interest of celebrating the agreement as a boost for NATO solidarity.
“It offers a role for all of our allies,” Obama told reporters. “It responds to the threats of our times. It shows our determination to protect our citizens from the threat of ballistic missiles.” He did not mention Iran by name, acceding to the wishes of NATO member Turkey, which had threatened to block the deal if its neighbor was singled out.
Under the arrangement, a limited system of U.S. anti-missile interceptors and radars already planned for Europe — to include interceptors in Romania and Poland and possibly a radar in Turkey — would be linked to expanded European-owned missile defenses. That would create a broad system that protects every NATO country against medium-range missile attack.
NATO plans to invite Russia to join the missile shield effort, although Moscow would not be given joint control. The gesture would mark a historic milestone for the alliance, created after World War II to defend Western Europe against the threat of an invasion by Soviet forces.
As for the U.S.-Russia arms treaty, Obama was backed by NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen of Denmark, who told reporters that the treaty, called New START and signed last April by Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, would improve security not only in Europe but beyond.
“I would strongly regret if it is delayed,” Fogh Rasmussen said. “A delay would be damaging for security in Europe, and I urge all parties involved to ratify it.” Obama needs 67 votes in the Senate for ratification, and many Republicans have balked at even taking a vote before the new, more heavily GOP Congress convenes in January.
The allies opened their summit by agreeing on the first rewrite of NATO’s basic mission — formally called its “strategic concept” — since 1999. They reaffirmed their bedrock commitment that an attack on one would be treated as an attack on all. In that context, the agreement to build a missile defense for all of Europe is meant to strengthen the alliance.
What remains in conflict, however, is the question of the future role of nuclear weapons in NATO’s basic strategy. The document members agreed to Friday says NATO will retain an “appropriate mix of nuclear and conventional capabilities” to deter a potential aggressor. Germany and some other NATO members want U.S. nuclear weapons withdrawn from Europe.
Non-government advocates of the German view were quick to criticize what they saw as a missed opportunity here for further nuclear disarmament.
“In an astonishing demonstration of weakness, NATO heads of state have failed to tackle the Cold War legacy of the deployment of U.S. nuclear gravity bombs in Europe, threatening the credibility of NATO members’ claims to be interested in non-proliferation and global disarmament,” said Paul Ingram, executive director of the British American Security Information Council in London.
The specter of continued stalemate in Afghanistan hung over the Lisbon summit.
Karzai will be joining the NATO allies for the Saturday session, and Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, is to make a closed-door presentation spelling out his vision of how to make a transition to Afghan control. Petraeus is expected to emphasize that stepped-up military operations this year, with the addition of thousands more U.S. combat troops, have made strides toward weakening the Taliban and eventually creating the conditions for peace negotiations. But he also is believed to be concerned that the transition not turn into a departure before Afghanistan is stable.
Obama said Afghanistan, launch pad for the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington, must get ready for the start of a shift away from reliance on U.S. and NATO combat power “as we move toward a new phase, a transition to Afghan responsibility beginning in 2011 with Afghan forces taking the lead for security across Afghanistan by 2014.”
A key question: Will Afghan security forces and the central government be ready to take full responsibility by then?
Mark Sedwill, the top NATO civilian official in Afghanistan, told reporters in Lisbon that it was possible the transition could be completed before 2014, although it’s not yet clear whether even that date will mark the end of NATO combat there.
A member of Karzai’s delegation to the summit, former Afghan finance minister Ashraf Ghani, said in an Associated Press interview that once 2014 is set as the target date, NATO needs to work with Kabul to establish milestones to get there.
“We as Afghans are responsive to our public opinion, and our public opinion is raising these issues, and what is fortunate is now, NATO has become … a listening organization,” Ghani said on the sidelines of the summit.
Stating the U.S. view in clear terms, Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell had said Thursday that 2014 is an “aspirational goal,” not a deadline either for Afghan forces to take full control or for a complete withdrawal of U.S. forces.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, who met privately with Karzai on Friday, said earlier that despite the economic burdens faced by much of Europe and the U.S., she believes the war campaign must go on.
“The challenge posed by radical extremists who utilize terror to promote their agenda is one that threatens the people of Portugal, the people of Europe, the people of the United States and, indeed, nations around the world,” Clinton said.
Her comments seemed aimed at slowing any rush to withdrawal by allies who believe military force is not the solution in Afghanistan. Canada, for example, is ending its combat mission next year while keeping 950 troops there in a support role.
The summit comes in a pivotal period for NATO, whose relevance is questioned by some who view the alliance as a relic. The adversary that prompted NATO’s creation in 1949 — the Soviet Union along with its Warsaw Pact allies — no longer exists.
After NATO’s rapid expansion over the past decade and a half — growing from 16 members to 28 — the gap in military prowess between the U.S. and most of the rest of the alliance has widened to the point where the basic nature of the defense partnership is in doubt.
Rasmussen told Friday‘s opening session that it’s time for NATO countries to start “cutting fat and investing in muscle.”
This is where the U.S. push for a NATO missile defense comes in. It would require a lot of money from European countries — estimated at 200 million euros, or about $260 million, over 10 years — and a commitment to a more active type of defense.
It also risks aggravating Russia, which has expressed worry that missile defenses could undermine the deterrent value of its own nuclear arsenal.
Ivo Daalder, the U.S. ambassador to NATO, took a positive view of prospects for working with Moscow.
“I believe we will find Russia and NATO will now decide that this is a time we move forward together on how to cooperate,” said Daalder, though he said Saturday‘s meetings weren’t likely to result in concrete agreements on missile defense cooperation.
___
Associated Press writers Slobodan Lekic, Alan Clendenning and Barry Hatton contributed to this report.
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Comments (78)
Flagman
Posted on November 20, 2010 at 5:32amSuch bull crap- you think they don’t have one already! aka (Secret, Top secret) The Military Complex is 100 years ahead of current knowledge.
Report Post »mrclean
Posted on November 20, 2010 at 2:05pmYou got that right. :{
Report Post »dizzyinthedark
Posted on November 20, 2010 at 5:12amI have to laugh at Biden saying Barry is brilliant?! Perhaps if you see him being ‘brilliant’ at bringing down the U.S., rather he‘s ’brilliant’ at following and being manipulated (like a puppet on a string) by others. He doesn‘t have the ’smarts’ to think for himself nor be a leader. WORST POTUS EVER!
Report Post »New-American-Saviors
Posted on November 20, 2010 at 3:02amThe Campaigner in chief,and hopefull cabinet member for the New World Order has spoken.We can‘t even secure OUR Borders ane he’s Building Missle shields in Europe. So who’s In-…Switzerland ?
Report Post »SoldierOfTheRepublic
Posted on November 20, 2010 at 2:08amWhy is “national security” used so many times, and what does it matter if we know where some of Russia’s nukes are? Even if this goes through, we will only know where the ones are that they are willing to expose. Has anyone read the START? For something with an ObamaCare like expedience, I‘m feeling this treaty is only another nail in America’s coffin.
Report Post »KnowingTheFuture
Posted on November 20, 2010 at 1:28amWhy is Europe getting a missle defense system when ours isn’t fully capable yet! Once again the treasonous actions of the ruling elites leave the surfs to fiend for themselves and vulnerable to foreign and domestic threats. The biggest threat of them all are the elites themselves.
Report Post »Randyrocker
Posted on November 20, 2010 at 1:21amObama: NATO will build a Missile Shield for Europe and an Umbrella for me from the fallout from spending more money than the United States of America has. And Obama’s telling NATO to build it quickly before the Russians and those pesky Chinese want their money back. Obama says, he can’t even afford the interest payments, and his TelePrompTers misplaced the security code numbers for the retaliatory nukes, should he ever require them.
Report Post »I guess this must mean his nuclear disarmament program is not taking off as well as he expected after all isn’t that why they gave him the Nobel Peace Prize, because they thought that they would?
red penny
Posted on November 20, 2010 at 12:28amBetterdays: I like your sense of humor;it’s easier to laugh than cry;besides crying makes your face hurt-:) -:)
Report Post »BetterDays
Posted on November 20, 2010 at 10:28amrule 62, do not take yourself too seriously.
Report Post »Any way, I don’t dislike Barack Obama because of his color has less color than mine, or his height or weight, I don’t dislike him because he is delusional, I don‘t dislike him because he’s not perfect. I dislike him because he’s a socialist, anti-colonial prig who by deciept and subtrafuge has attempted to steal my beloved nation.
But humor, well I cry, (just like John Bohner. oh my) for my nation in my prayers, and ONE thing I do KNOW is that when I pray, GOD condescends to listen.
We live in perilous times, I have oft said that the three month peroid we now are in will be some of the most trying days of our lives, without a laugh or two daily the burden may be too much to bare. Obama has but these three months to “shove” the world into total colaspe, will he or won’t he that is what to pray about. It’s bigger that just America people, when we fall (and eventually we will, it is biblical prophecy, but take heart, there is NO time stamp on the when), the world falls, and then it’s times that no one will want to endure.
americansunite
Posted on November 19, 2010 at 11:40pmRight, while we are agreeing to cut back on nuclear warheads and missles do you really think that Russia is going to keep their word that they will do the same. How about Iran???????? Wake up America, we have an idiot in the White House.
Report Post »BetterDays
Posted on November 20, 2010 at 12:14amyea and some Kenyan villiage is much smarter for it.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on November 20, 2010 at 2:02amWell heck … let’s send him back to his “village”.!
Report Post »red penny
Posted on November 19, 2010 at 11:30pmDon’t expect Russia to cooperate nor stand by quietly if they preceive that the NATO missile shield will hamper their defensive abilities in anyway.Best way to go–ensure that no other nation in the general area gains a nuclear capability (IRAN) and remember the Russians can’t be trusted;they’ve proven that over and over for decades. I predict that little but talk will come of this proposal.
Report Post »BetterDays
Posted on November 19, 2010 at 11:42pmaccording to Drudgereport.com we are building it with them, OMG!
Report Post »keepinupwithjones
Posted on November 19, 2010 at 10:55pmWHY IS THIS LUNATIC TRYING TO PROTECT EVERYONE BUT HIS OWN COUNTRY? sorry for the caps. He is a moron. A freaking moron.
Report Post »mikenleeds
Posted on November 19, 2010 at 10:50pmwhy don t you just give them our missile shield , i mean you are wanting to destroy and weaken this country and give the rest of the world all of our money and defense ,,, how do you dumb liberals like that change now … God bless our America
Report Post »Zcat
Posted on November 19, 2010 at 10:38pmObama is helping other country to eventually attack the USA! Obama is wanting the USA to end up defenseless!
Report Post »mrclean
Posted on November 20, 2010 at 2:01pmOne more nail in our coffin.
The 112th Congress should address this before Jan. 3, 2011.
Report Post »neverending
Posted on November 19, 2010 at 10:36pmThe biggest threat we have right now is this dumb sorry, arrogant, egotistical, socialist/marxist/commie and his entire band of chicago thugs. Making it through another two years of this rat is going to be a challenge I am not convinced we can win- only by the grace of GOD and that is if we put him back in our country.
Report Post »gimmetheskinny
Posted on November 19, 2010 at 10:24pmEurope can go piss up a rope, whats the matter with protecting the good ole USA
Report Post »dontbotherme
Posted on November 19, 2010 at 9:42pmThis is driving me crazy! I can’t stand the sound of his voice or the sight of his face anymore. Can we please take care of ourselves first! Can we please protect our own borders? Is there anybody out there who can lead our nation with honor & love of country?
Report Post »NoName22
Posted on November 19, 2010 at 9:31pmLemme get this straight……..We are fighting Osama Bin Laden, who is a Wahabi Muslim.
And we donate weapons to Saudi Arabia, who’s king is Wahabi?
Report Post »Ronko
Posted on November 19, 2010 at 9:21pmI‘m sorry but until I see it happen I’m going to be skeptical
Report Post »Cuthalu
Posted on November 19, 2010 at 9:15pmAt what point will Europe start paying for it’s own damned defence and stop sticking us with the bill? I wonder how long their overly generous wealthfare states would last if we weren’t suckered into paying for THEIR defense?
Report Post »We can still be allies and in NATO but enough is enough. Stop paying for Europe’s defence when they are fully capable of paying for it themselves.
Nvrforget
Posted on November 19, 2010 at 9:23pmEurope’s armies are pretty well equipped with an Army of about 7 million people and a budget of about 200 billion €. France and the UK have nuclear weapons. I‘d say they’re pretty capable of defending themselves.
Report Post »sportlock
Posted on November 19, 2010 at 9:24pmThats how they make up the gap in heath care cost. By having the USA pay for their defense..
Report Post »sportlock
Posted on November 19, 2010 at 9:02pmSeems every war we’ve ever been in the enemy is using US weapons against us. Now here’s some free Anti-missile technology to boot!
Report Post »Mirimichi
Posted on November 19, 2010 at 8:49pmMy previos post can be read on Drudge
Report Post »mamawalker
Posted on November 19, 2010 at 8:59pmWe are in some serious trouble and unfortunately its just the tip of the iceberg!
Report Post »what4
Posted on November 19, 2010 at 8:36pmThis is about as likely as him signing a repeal of the health care bill!
Report Post »KenInIL
Posted on November 19, 2010 at 9:11pmWe should let Europe PURCHASE a missile system from us, and do whatever! We need their money to pay the Chinese. We should also offer our contractors/consultants to install it. I don’t have a problem as long as THEY PAY FOR IT !!
Report Post »NHABE64
Posted on November 19, 2010 at 8:36pmI would not trust this cockroach socialist to put a lid on a garbage can. I mean this bonehead is so incompetent the whole damn world is laughing at him. Ha! Ha! Ha!
Report Post »UlyssesP
Posted on November 19, 2010 at 8:45pmThey’re laughing at us, friend, they’re laughing at America for putting this fake in office.
Report Post »sportlock
Posted on November 19, 2010 at 8:21pmSomeone please get the teleprompter back out. I can’t stand to see him look right, say one word, look back down and read. Look left, say one word, look back down and read. Look right, say one word, look back down and read. Now it just looks like he’s trying to hard to be presidential, although Chris Matthews would probably still get a thrill up his leg.
Report Post »awiderview
Posted on November 19, 2010 at 8:10pmThere he goes again!
Report Post »CatB
Posted on November 20, 2010 at 2:00amYes .. I wish he would do nothing as opposed to what he does do! All he does is weaken the U.S. at every turn.
Report Post »WestOfThePecos
Posted on November 20, 2010 at 8:15amHe should jut focus on our borders.
Report Post »mrclean
Posted on November 20, 2010 at 1:56pm“It offers a role for all of our allies,” Obama told reporters. “It responds to the threats of our times. It shows our determination to protect our citizens from the threat of ballistic missiles.”
Since when does he care about “protecting our citizens….”
Liar in Chief.
Report Post »sportlock
Posted on November 19, 2010 at 8:09pmA missile shield is useless if the attack is from within idiots. Wasn’t the most popular baby name in Europe this year Muhammad?
Report Post »M31Sailor
Posted on November 19, 2010 at 8:44pmIt would be a whole lot cheaper to take the leadership of Iran out, in Iran.
Report Post »snowleopard3200 {mix art}
Posted on November 19, 2010 at 8:45pmDid not Mr Obama cancel an earlier planned missile defense shield that was negotiated by former President Bush? And if so, he now wants one in Europe? Why would anyone in the world honestly believe anything Mr Obama stands for with so many consistant lies, distortions, and flip flops.
Report Post »AlaskaRick
Posted on November 19, 2010 at 8:49pmHow about a freakin shield over the USA!!! WTF is going on here?
Report Post »sportlock
Posted on November 19, 2010 at 8:58pmAmerican Citizens fund the US government and military.
Missile sheild technology cost BILLIONS of dollars to develop.
Now we just give the technology away for other nations to copy for free rendering our own military less effective?!?!?!?!?!
Why does it always seem HATED AMERICA always gets the shortest straw?
Report Post »AlaskaRick
Posted on November 19, 2010 at 8:59pmOkay I’m a little calmer now, I missed the “and the United States” part of the speech. Still what was that missile off of LA? Can we take care of ourselves for once!
Report Post »LUDWIKA BRONISLAWA
Posted on November 19, 2010 at 10:15pmThat missile defense shield would already be in place by now if our dear leader hadn‘t thrown it out for the favor of glorious people’s republic Russia. I am so disgusted that I have to worry about the opinions of Russia and China shaping our national defense. The peeps in DC better not let ‘START’ get in the front OR back door. I think Hillary‘s ’reset‘ button meant we’re going to reset communism now, only THIS time the American administration is going to do the planning.
Report Post »BetterDays
Posted on November 19, 2010 at 11:40pmjsut read on the Drudgereport.com that we intend to build it WITH the Russians, ah whats wrong with this picture?
Report Post »First off if we build it for free, we are in essesense redistributing our wealth, because we tax payers shall pay for it in defense appropriations.
Secondly, Russia has been playing us, they are behind the socialists attempt to replace our government. They never “colasped”, they just pretended to because they knew they could not and can not win an arms race against a Republic/free market.
Heres a thought, commies go home.
Heres another thought let us not respond to a single troll post, instead let us report them without delay and have them yanked from the Blaze.
CatB
Posted on November 20, 2010 at 1:58amALASKARICK … My question exactly .. and what was that in the sky over California? How about some “Star Wars” defense for the USA!
Report Post »StMichelob
Posted on November 20, 2010 at 3:07am@ALASKARICK …lol, you big dummy….that was just a cessna, and besides, there was a “military’ chopper watching it go! How stupid are you! Missles don’t leave single-stream con-trails like that! Well, they “kinda” do, but comeon! Quit being a conspiracy theorist! If it WAS a threat, our government would NEVER lie to us and say they don’t know! Go to sleep now…”these are not the droids you are looking for’….sleeeeeep…..shhhhhhh……
Semper Fi and WTF is going on here???
Report Post »free2bme1961
Posted on November 20, 2010 at 3:15amNo probelem POTUS….keep our troops abroad, cause the foreign troops here, will take care of us terrorist citizens!….that missle that nobody wanted to acknowledge? Must have been a hologram.
Report Post »poverty.sucks
Posted on November 20, 2010 at 8:03amMost effective European defense is a sheild around Islamic extremist terrorist nation.
Report Post »docvet
Posted on November 20, 2010 at 4:00pmYour missing the point. The missiles will be aimed at England, U.S. and Isreal so they can’t protect themselves from the gentle peace-loving Muslims who are just trying to make their place in the world (i.e., the whole planet). Besides nuclear weapons are much more efficient than stoning or cutting off the head of every non-muslim, although much less satisfying.
Report Post »Minority Retort
Posted on November 20, 2010 at 8:25pmSportlock, yer right on…it ain’t gonna be a missile-defensible attack that Europe needs to worry about. And as far as the Missile shield…Hmmmm….sounds like the same old American solution from a couple decades ago. However, this time, when we PAY FOR IT and MAKE IT WORK, the only change will be that WE WON’T OWN IT!!! nyce.
As for your comment about names…yup…might be a social, cultural movement that needs some attention.
Report Post »Minority Retort
Posted on November 20, 2010 at 8:29pmFree2BeMe…great point about our troop distribution…but, you have to remember…the survival rate of returning warriors is getting worse everyday…Ulribe, Get Well, Lakosky, R.I.P….to name a few…
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