Obama to Russia: stop Iranian nuclear weapon and US will scrap missile defence

[Turborama]

Source: The Times (UK)

Tony Halpin in Moscow -

President Obama today offered to scrap plans for a missile defence shield in Eastern Europe if Russia helped to stop Iran developing a nuclear bomb. He appealed in Moscow for a new era of partnership between Russia and the United States to fight the spread of nuclear weapons to rogue states and terrorist groups.

"That is why we should be united in opposing North Korea's efforts to become a nuclear power and preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon," he said.

Russia strongly opposes US plans to site the missile shield in Poland and the Czech Republic, which Washington says is necessary to defend against a surprise attack from Iran. Mr Obama made clear that he was willing to strike a deal with the Kremlin.

"I know Russia opposes the planned configuration for missile defence in Europe....I have made it clear that this system is directed at preventing a potential attack from Iran and has nothing to do with Russia," Mr Obama said in a speech to students graduating from Moscow's New Economic School. "I want us to work together on a missile defence architecture that makes us all safer. But if the threat from Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programmes is eliminated, the driving force for missile defence in Europe will be eliminated. That is in our mutual interest."

Read more: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article6658328.ece

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Sounds like a reasonable stance...

[Kittycat]

1. defense

[Lone_Star_Dem]

12. It's a Brit publication.

The spelling is correct for that region.

[prostomulgus]

2. The only way to prevent nuclear Iran, North Korea, or another arms race

is for the US to scrap its missle "defense" as well as its entire nuclear arsenal. Without this threat from the US, other countries would not feel the need to develop their own nuclear weapons.

President Obama apparently understands this (thankfully) and, as a result, I predict that we are on the verge of a new age of world peace.

What a triumphant visit our President is having in Russia!

[IrishBuckeye]

5. You're wrong

You would have other countries trying to develop their own nuclear weapons even if the the United States had none. The world in not a peacful place and never has been. Nations and States since their birth have always tried to advance their weapons, this is not a development brought forth by the United States as your post implies.

[defendandprotect]

20. World isn't "a peacerful place" mainly because of Pax Americana . . .

What you're saying is if you give up your gun your neighbor will go get one anyway --

Despite what you're seeing on TV and rightwing propaganda, most of us simply want to

live in peace.

It is those elites who desire control over others -- money=power -- who want war and

weapons.

[Pavulon]

24. Yep, and people with guns make that a reality..

living in peace is a wonderful thing. It required the expectation that those who disrupt that peace will suffer consequences. No nukes in rwanda. Just knives and guns. massive death.

[Skink]

3. Obama plays hardball. Now how about taking it to the republicans.

Public option or we nuke Newt.

[SkyDaddy7]

4. NUKE NEWT!!!!!

:nuke:

[wordpix]

7. repukes only understand starting wars---after that, they're clueless

[defendandprotect]

21. Well, they know they want perpetual war . . . 100 year wars . .

[wordpix]

6. Obama understands this in his first months in office, whereas Jr.

never could after 8 yrs. Thank you for having a good head, Mr. President! :hi: :thumbsup:

[defendandprotect]

22. You think Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld problem was they couldn't figure this out???

These are people who wanted perpetual war -- other's people's oil --

imperialism . . .

what they did happened purposefully, not because they weren't smart --

They are very smart about how to get their way -- control over others.

Vast wealth.

[madrchsod]

8. hmmm....channeling jfk ....

it might work.

[Wizard777]

9. It's somewhat reasonable and a good step. But not what we actually need.

What we really need is for Iran to be more transparent with their nuclear ambitions and more cooperative with the International Community. There is no real evidence that they are developing nuclear weapons. But how to be sure of that? I guess Obama was just nailing down the ultimate goal before exploring how to obtain that goal with Russia's help.

[ConcernedCanuk]

10. WORLD to USA - Stop invading, occupying and bombing the shit out of other nations . .

.
.
.

THEN we might listen to you.

USA is a "rogue" nation - THE rogue nation that threatens the whole globe.

USA has more of it's military personnel and military bases in other people's countries than the rest of the World COMBINED.

Yeah, we noticed . .

pot . . kettle . .

[ItNerd4life]

11. So, if North Korea develops a nuclear missile we will be defenseless?

How does this make sense?

[Turborama]

13. Maybe these maps will help to clarify things...

North Korea's missile trajectory is completely different from Iran's...

[14thColony]

16. We've been defenseless against Soviet/Russian ICBMs since the 1960s

And they have hundreds of missiles with thousands of warheads ready to launch.

Something about massive nuclear retaliation and certain annihilation kept them away from the button, as it will North Korea.

[hugo_from_TN]

23. You've got a lot of faith in Kim's rationality.

[14thColony]

27. As much as we like to play up the 'Crazy Kim' angle

Kim Chong-il is quite rational. Everything he does is calculated for a specific effect. We're just not always privy to the calculations, nor are we always the audience for the effect. I see no reason to believe he'll decide to sacrifice everything he's built, and his family's dynasty, just to nuke Seoul or Tokoyo (cities he can actually hope to reach with a nuclear missile) - he knows the retaliation would result in HIS death and the deaths of his sons - the only lives he cares about. If he wanted to go out with a bang he could have done that long ago - his conventional and chemical-armed missiles can hit all of South Korea and most of Japan now.

[NickB79]

25. Obama offered to not install ABM launchers in EUROPE

Any missile fired from N. Korea would be going the OPPOSITE direction, across the Pacific. And we have plenty of ship-based ABM launchers in that area, as well as the ability to install them in Hawaii or Alaska.

This is strictly about protecting our forces and allies in Europe from Iranian nukes. N. Korea doesn't enter into the equation.

[ItNerd4life]

29. N. Korea is in the equation if they decide to hit Europe

Consider if we have missile defense and Europe doesn't.

N. Korea could just decide to hit Europe instead of U.S.

Kim can't be trusted. I would be very surprised if our European allies
support this.

[Posteritatis]

30. North Korea couldn't hit Europe even if they wanted to

Ballistic missiles aren't all Magical Hit Anywhere In The World Devices.

[Vidar]

14. Good. Obama has it right this time.

[subcomhd]

15. pretty clever

Niether Obama (nor we his base) believes in that program anyway - but it freaks the russians out. If he can get the ruskies to shut down the iranian nuke program and all we have to do is get rid of something we didn't like to begin with - that's impressive.

[14thColony]

17. That's it!

We negotiate away a cash cow defense industry welfare program to get something we really do want.

[TheLastMohican]

28. You are delusional

Al it takes is for Russkies to put Iskander tactical missles in the Kaliningrad enclave and effectively negate the presence of ABM with a rapid strike.
It is cheaper than abandoning a multi-billion dollar contract and thousands of jobs for Russian nuclear engineers with Iran.
Obama is again taking Putin for a stupid fool, well he is not.
Obama will abandon ABM site sooner or later without any russian concessions, because the economy will not allow him those military adventures.

[Massacure]

18. What about North Korea?

North Korea worries me more than Iran does.

[NickB79]

26. Eastern European anti-ballistic missiles were never meant to stop Korean nukes

We have plenty of possible ABM installation sites in S. Korea, Japan, Hawaii, and Alaska, as well as ship-based systems to deal with a future N. Korean launch.

[defendandprotect]

19. Militarization of the skies has to be stopped -- let's go Obama -- !!!