America has betrayed two friends today--the Czech Republic and Poland. To make things worse, it was done on the 70th anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Poland. President Bush had promised to set up missile defense shields in both countries to counter the threat of the Iranian nuclear program and to provide a hedge against the expansionist plans of Vladimir Putin. President Obama has told the Czeck Republic and Poland that they will not be getting those missile defense systems. One of the ways to lose your status as one of the world's most powerful nations is to break promises made to your allies.
The UK Times has the story from the European perspective. According to the article:
"Instead, after a comprehensive review, he had decided to accept the advice of both the Defence Secretary, Robert Gates, and of the Chiefs of Staff opt for a "smarter, stronger and swifter" system involving both sea-based and land-based mobile interceptors.
"Mr Obama said that latest intelligence suggested that threat of long-range missile attacks from Iran had receded, but the threat of short- or medium-range attacks was a real one."
At what time did the threat of long-range missile attacks from Iran recede? This decision not to deploy the missile systems was met with dismay be the Czech Republic and Poland. It also has made some of the other young democracies bordering Russia very nervous. These countries have helped us in Afghanistan, and to turn our backs on their challenges is not a way to stay friends.
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