Obama right to revamp missile-defense approach
I’ve repeatedly questioned the wisdom of deploying a largely untested missile defense system in eastern Europe. Among other reasons, nobody has explained to me why the U.S. taxpayer should be asked to spend billions of dollars on a system to protect Europe when in fact most Europeans oppose deployment of that system and their own governments would contribute nothing financially to the cost.
How and why is that OUR burden, financially and militarily? If they don’t think it’s a threat to their own security, why should we try to overrule them and protect them at our own expense?
In the last couple of months, the Government Accountability Office has raised its own concerns, noting that the Pentagon has no real idea of what such a system would cost and no real concept of how it should be operated.
Now President Obama has announced that he’s pulling the plug on the idea. According to the Washington Post, Defense Secretary Robert Gates strongly backs the decision:
“Gates, who as Bush’s defense secretary publicly embraced the longer-range system, said the option chosen by Obama could be implemented several years earlier and would be more effective, especially since the threat of long-range missiles from Iran is no longer believed to be as imminent.
“It is more adapted to the threat we see developing, and takes advantage of” the latest technology available to the United States, Gates said.”
Republicans are attacking the decision as a sellout to Russia, a reaction eerily similar to their strategy regarding health care. They seem hard-wired to perceive any act of compromise with other interested parties as an act of horrible weakness. In that world view everything is win/lose, black/white, up/down, with no shades of gray and no concept of a win/win outcome.
Been there, tried that, didn’t work.
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203 comments Add your comment
Scooter
September 17th, 2009
12:20 pm
Where is everyone?
Peadawg
September 17th, 2009
12:22 pm
“Republicans are attacking the decision as a sellout to Russia”
Just like he bowed down to the king of Saudi Arabia. Obama, grow some twig and berries for cryin’ out loud!
Scooter
September 17th, 2009
12:23 pm
I’m with you on this on Jay.It’s not our problem!
Peadawg
September 17th, 2009
12:26 pm
Lunch probably…I just got back.
TnGelding
September 17th, 2009
12:26 pm
Well, it’s certainly in our interest to have a free EU, but they should help pick up more of the cost. We simply can’t afford it anymore, and really never could. I question the usefullness of any of the systems, tho. If it comes down to that, is there any real hope? As for Russia, why would they feel threatened by anything we do? Just paranoia like the GOP? We need to strive to make them understand we were allies in the past in some monumental struggles and try to renew that relationship. Gates sure handled it well.
Joey
September 17th, 2009
12:29 pm
“They seem hard-wired to perceive any act of compromise with other interested parties as an act of horrible weakness.”
Jay:
So this is an “act of comprimise” rather than being driven by cost and technology?
Doggone/GA
September 17th, 2009
12:31 pm
“Just like he bowed down to the king of Saudi Arabia”
He could have just held hands with him, like Bush did.
Peadawg
September 17th, 2009
12:31 pm
hhhmmmm…holding hands or bowing down…big difference!
USinUK
September 17th, 2009
12:32 pm
I was thinking the exact same thing … why should WE build this boondoggle (that won’t work)??? if Estonia or Poland wants it, THEY can build it!
Doggone/GA
September 17th, 2009
12:33 pm
“holding hands or bowing down…big difference!”
There is?
USinUK
September 17th, 2009
12:34 pm
yep … one is canoodling … the other is a sign of respect …
Rant
September 17th, 2009
12:35 pm
So, Jay — this poll seems to contradict your previous OpEd piece on poll findings????
_______________
45% Of Doctors Would Consider Quitting If Congress Passes Health Care Overhaul| Posted Tuesday, September 15, 2009 4:30 PM PT
Two of every three practicing physicians oppose the medical overhaul plan under consideration in Washington, and hundreds of thousands would think about shutting down their practices or retiring early if it were adopted, a new IBD/TIPP Poll has found.
——————————————————————————–
IBD Exclusive Series: Condition Critical: What Doctors Think About Health Reform
——————————————————————————–
The poll contradicts the claims of not only the White House, but also doctors’ own lobby — the powerful American Medical Association — both of which suggest the medical profession is behind the proposed overhaul.
Enter your comments here
AmVet
September 17th, 2009
12:35 pm
For a REALLY big difference, he could have acted like Brokeback George and given him a big wet smackee.
http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2008/01/14/he_kisses_for_thee
Doggone/GA
September 17th, 2009
12:37 pm
“one is canoodling … the other is a sign of respect ”
Ohhh! THAT difference. Thanks!
USinUK
September 17th, 2009
12:39 pm
rant –
“So, Jay — this poll seems to contradict your previous OpEd piece on poll findings????”
not to speak for Jay … but he spoke for himself on this exact issue yesterday when he guffawed that you’re quoting a publication that said that if Stephen Hawking had been British, the NHS would have let him die …
keep up.
USinUK
September 17th, 2009
12:40 pm
AmVet –
12:35 … dammit, man … I’m going to need someone to pour bleach in my ear to cleanse that mental image out of my head …
GEORGE AMERICAN
September 17th, 2009
12:41 pm
OBLARMA’S ANIT-MILITARY ANTI-AMERICAN WAYS ARE TAKING THE WORLD’S GREATEST FIGHTING FORCE TO THE GELDING GIN.
LOOK AT HIS HISTORY:
1. SURRENDERING TO IRAQ
2. KILLING THE F-22′S
3. CHICKENING OUT TO THE RUSSIONS (OR SHOULD I SAY HIS COMMIE PALS?)
WE NEED SOMEONE IN THE WHITE HOUSE WHO BELIEVES IN A STRONG MILITARY AND STRONG AMERICA – NOT A NATION OF NUTLESS YELLOW EUNUCHS!!!
PALIN/CHENEY 2012!!!
Bosch
September 17th, 2009
12:42 pm
I guess the Republicans want to waste taxpayer money on an outdated defense system – what’s wrong with these people? Why do they hate America so?
Agreed, agreed Jay.
Oh, and pat, abortion isn’t a crime – unless you got some kind of memo stating differently that the rest of us didn’t, then it’s still legal.
USinUK
September 17th, 2009
12:42 pm
doggone –
12:37 – it’s all part of the service here at “simple answers for simple questions” … glad to help.
and now … i’m a-shuttin down and a-headin home …
stands for decibels
September 17th, 2009
12:42 pm
They seem hard-wired to perceive any act of compromise with other interested parties as an act of horrible weakness.
It’s actually weirder than that. I’m more or less convinced that Republicans believe that doing stuff simply to tick off people you don’t like is a noble thing. Will this missile defense actually work? Who cares, it ticks off the Russkies!
Bosch
September 17th, 2009
12:43 pm
AmVet,
Yeap, I was gonna say, “Or he could have given him a wet smacker on the mouth like Bush did.”
stands for decibels
September 17th, 2009
12:44 pm
Rant @ 12.35, I’m afraid your sorry poll’s already been kicked to the curb.
Doggone/GA
September 17th, 2009
12:45 pm
“It’s actually weirder than that. I’m more or less convinced that Republicans believe that doing stuff simply to tick off people you don’t like is a noble thing”
That’s a very interesting take on it, especially given how often we see that same sort of thing played out here everyday…in the form of repeated, but debunked, statements by the “party of no” adherents.
dewstarpath
September 17th, 2009
12:46 pm
If Europe wanted an anti-missile defense system, they would have developed one
long before now. Most of the modern technologies we use for air and space defense
came out of European countries. That’s where Saddam did a significant amount of
his arms bazaar shopping prior to trying to turn Kuwait into Iraq’s 19th province.
I agree with TnGelding. We eliminated the possibility of countering a Warsaw Pact
offensive when we went into Iraq, spending a significant amount of our military budget
there.
Last, PeaDawg criticizes President Obama for “bowing down” to the King of Saudi Arabia.
And Bush didn’t?
USinUK
September 17th, 2009
12:47 pm
dB and Bosch …
of course, these guys are willing to go hell-bent-for-leather into debt to build useless missile defense shields for other countries (which isn’t in the effing constitution, either, you 10th-ers reading this) but they’re not willing to take care of the general welfare of this country’s own people (which IS in the preamble)
grrrr.
Bosch
September 17th, 2009
12:50 pm
USinUK,
Oh, exactly, like it’s perfectly okay to pay for most if not all of the medical expenses of people in Afghanistan and Iraq, but not here because there are some they feel that don’t deserve health care. And they make up what things are medical procedures and which aren’t to try and give credence to their own world view of all things wingnut. Enjoy your chicken!
Taxpayer
September 17th, 2009
12:51 pm
I’m looking forward to much more of the same from Obama. The DoD needs some really serious scrutiny. After all, there’s bound to be an overabundance of waste and even fraud in a $670 billion annual budget and we need money to pay for important stuff like healthcare.
Redneck Convert (R--and proud of it)
September 17th, 2009
12:53 pm
Well, I’m against pulling this missile defense thing out of Poland or anyplace else for that matter. So what if it don’t work or costs alot? It gets the Russians mad and that’s what’s important. Just like you do at a trailer park. Even if you can’t get at the guy you hate you still go over in the middle of the night and blow up his mailbox. I mean, Real Men don’t quit fighting till one of them’s dead. That’s the way we’ve done things down here for decades.
Why don’t this Obama just go over and kiss this Putin in the seat of his pants? I mean, we need a President that will find some reason to fight and do it. Like My President done. If somebody sasses you and shoots spitwads at you then you don’t act like there ain’t nothing wrong and you don’t try and be friends with him.
So that missile defense needed to get put in and a real President would tell Putin to shove it. It don’t matter if it works or how much it costs. But no, we got to act like a old lady that’s miffed somebody else is wearing white after Labor Day but just keeps quiet about it. I’m just disgusted. I bet McCain would of put in the missile defense and sent a few hundred thousand troops over there to boot.
Have a good p.m. everybody.
Bosch
September 17th, 2009
12:57 pm
Jay,
“Been there, tried that, didn’t work”
BUT, did you get a t-shirt – and was it a good one, or one of those piece of crap t-shirts?
AmVet
September 17th, 2009
12:58 pm
MOST of this national security nonsense is a canard.
The DoD contractors pay for the politicians to provide VAST giveaways to WHO?
The DoD contractors.
Who provide VAST amounts of money to WHO?
The politicians who provide VAST…
And the card carrying members of the 101st Chariborne scream we aren’t spending enough on the war machine!
Or getting enough troops killed…
md
September 17th, 2009
1:00 pm
On the other side of the coin, I’ll lay odds that the Russians look at it as a “win”. Its a chess game, and Barry flinched first. Putin could care less about being friends, its all about one upmanship for the world powers. He now has the propoganda needed to flaunt himself in front of his countrymen. Don’t think for a minute that ego is not part of the game.
dewstarpath
September 17th, 2009
1:03 pm
- GEORGE AMERICAN – 12:41 – STOP SMOKING CRACK – REALLY.
The F-22 Raptor program should end immediately. Too much money has
flowed into that Lockheed bureaucracy. The F-14A model in 1972 cost
$ 30 million USD. The Raptor has yet to be used in combat, and the cost
is now in the vicinity of $ 150 million ! Enough already.
Nobody has surrendered in Iraq. Subscribe to a newspaper.
A strong military and a strong America needs to embrace literacy –
especially against an enemy like the “RUSSIONS”.
Cheney will probably be dead from natural causes by 2012. And
Palin will probably have her GED.
stands for decibels
September 17th, 2009
1:03 pm
That’s a very interesting take on it, especially given how often we see that same sort of thing played out here everyday…
And it’s applicable to their domestic politics too, of course. It’s something I noticed first in 1992, when candidate GHWBush said something I thought was really weird. He’d claimed to have noticed a bumpersticker that said “Annoy the media. Re-elect George Bush.” And who knows if he had or not, but why on earth would a sitting President toss out a talking point like that? What possible benefit is there to a swing voter in “annoying the media”, or merely annoying any group?
If you keep your ear to the ground, you hear many official permutations on the whole “let’s p!ss off liberals” idea. Obviously both sides take some pleasure in annoying their opposites, but as an end in itself? I think it’s gotten kind of old and it’s become a serious turn-off to a lot of voters.
eagle scout
September 17th, 2009
1:04 pm
Instead of bowing down…How about a nice kiss!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/911review/293457625/
Bosch
September 17th, 2009
1:05 pm
Oh, and there’s also that whole thing about Iran being more of a threat now than Russian anyways, but what do the GOP care? We want THAT missile defense system or we’re gonna fling a FIT!!
Why do they hate America so much?
Doggone/GA
September 17th, 2009
1:06 pm
“Putin could care less about being friends, its all about one upmanship for the world powers. He now has the propoganda needed to flaunt himself in front of his countrymen.”
Big deal. If Putin wants to play “schoolyard” politics…that’s his problem.
Bosch
September 17th, 2009
1:08 pm
stands for decibels,
One of my favorite bumper stickers – second, of course behind the old “The Ten Commandments, the REAL Foundation of our country” or some such non-sense, is the “Annoy a Liberal – Be Happy and Successful.” That’s a favorite of the grumpy old codgers around these parts.
mike
September 17th, 2009
1:09 pm
“In that world view everything is win/lose, black/white, up/down, with no shades of gray and no concept of a win/win outcome.”
Whereas Democrats like Taxpayer and Public Option Now are reasonable people who are open minded, all of the millions of people who are Republicans are narrow minded and rigid in their views.
Does Jay ever notice the “eerie” coincidence that all of those who don’t share his party affiliation not only don’t have legitimate opinions on policy, they are flawed as human beings.
Seems logical.
Doggone/GA
September 17th, 2009
1:09 pm
“I think it’s gotten kind of old and it’s become a serious turn-off to a lot of voters.”
I agree, and I hope we’re both right about that!
Taxpayer
September 17th, 2009
1:11 pm
Bosch
September 17th, 2009
12:43 pm
AmVet,
Yeap, I was gonna say, “Or he could have given him a wet smacker on the mouth like Bush did.”
And, did you notice that Bush was chewing gum afterward but not before.
mike
September 17th, 2009
1:11 pm
Bosch –
My favorite bumper sticker is the “Dissent is Patriotic” bumper stickers that were so popular with liberals during the Bush years. I think the new liberal bumper sticker would read “Dissent is Racism”.
DeKalb Conservative
September 17th, 2009
1:12 pm
Jay- I’m with you on this one. Its not our job to police the world. Equally, should Russia invade one of these countries it shouldn’t we our job to offer any relief via the military or financial resources.
A relevant fear is that similar means to disarm, particularly on the west coast may follow. There isn’t a strong indicator this is the case.
Bosch
September 17th, 2009
1:12 pm
Taxpayer!!!
“And, did you notice that Bush was chewing gum afterward but not before”
GAAA – ROSSSS!!! Ewwwww.
Taxpayer
September 17th, 2009
1:17 pm
Big deal. If Putin wants to play “schoolyard” politics…that’s his problem.
My sentiments exactly.
mm
September 17th, 2009
1:18 pm
Wingnuts are more worried about the safety of Europeans than the health of Americans. Why do Republicans hate America?
Taxpayer
September 17th, 2009
1:20 pm
Whereas Democrats like Taxpayer and Public Option Now are reasonable people who are open minded, all of the millions of people who are Republicans are narrow minded and rigid in their views.
Well, I can’t speak for this Public Option Now fella, but, what’s your point.
md
September 17th, 2009
1:21 pm
“Big deal. If Putin wants to play “schoolyard” politics…that’s his problem.”
Maybe, but I for one would not turn my back on Mr. Putin. I’m guessing he hasn’t gotten over the downfall of the USSR, and would probably love to see the same happen to the USA. He’s strutting with his renewed bomber runs and sending his ships to our south, he’s playing the game as he was taught by his kgb manual and Barry wants to hold hands and sing kumbaya.
We already had one president make the mistake of “looking into his soul” and seeing what wasn’t there.
Doggone/GA
September 17th, 2009
1:22 pm
“Wingnuts are more worried about the safety of Europeans than the health of Americans”
Actually…the real fear lies in the reason behind why we are there, and have been there for so long: they’re afraid that if we turn over their defense to the locals, they’ll build up their military and start another world war. And of course the Europeans don’t have a problem with us spending OUR money to “defend” them…that’s money THEY don’t have to spend for defense.
jt
September 17th, 2009
1:24 pm
I read somewhere where the missle-sights in Poland were actually re-possessed by some Belgium bank and that Chris Dodd’s name is all over it.
Developing…..
md
September 17th, 2009
1:25 pm
” Equally, should Russia invade one of these countries it shouldn’t we our job to offer any relief via the military or financial resources.”
May want to get to work on nullifying NATO if this is the route chosen.
Not a bad option in my opinion as long as we abolish the UN at the same time. Neither is in our best interest.