| Submit your comments on this article |
| Europe |
| Germany chides U.S. move on anti-missile shield |
| 2007-02-18 |
| Then the Germans won't mind if the US cancels co-development of the MEADS antimissile system. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier criticised the United States on Sunday in a rare public rebuke for failing to inform Russia of an offer to build an anti-missile base on Polish soil. Except that everyone has known about this plan for a European based ABM system for at least three years. In an interview to appear in Monday's Handelsblatt daily, Steinmeier said it was vital to keep all partners fully informed due to the sensitive nature of the project. "Because the sites for the stationing are quite near Russia, one should have talked about it with Russia beforehand," Steinmeier said in remarks released ahead of publication. "In view of the strategic nature of this sort of project, I urge one to act with caution and to engage in an intensive dialogue with all the partners directly and indirectly involved," he added. So Germans would rather live under the threat of instant death from End of World muslim cultists and pipsqueak KGB agents turned president. Steinmeier, a leader in the Social Democrats (SPD), was chief of staff under former Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder -- a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and an outspoken opponent of the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. The United States has asked Poland and the neighboring Czech Republic to host elements of its multi-billion dollar global defense system designed to counter missiles potentially fired by what Washington calls rogue states. The Polish base would supplement existing missile-shield installations in the U.S. states of Alaska and California and intercept hostile missiles from the Middle and Far East. Russia has threatened to install medium-range ballistic missiles in its Baltic Kaliningrad region neighboring northern Poland if Warsaw agrees to host the U.S. base in its territory. New Polish Defense Minister Aleksander Szczyglo said on Sunday Poland would reply within two weeks to the U.S. offer. Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski favours the anti-missile shield saying it would bring Poland greater security. But public opinion is divided and misgivings have emerged in his ruling coalition. In Berlin, the parliamentary floor leader of the opposition Greens party Fritz Kuhn said the U.S. plans had not been discussed with NATO. "What the United States is doing can only be seen in Russia as a provocation," Kuhn said in an interview with the Saarbruecker Zeitung newspaper. If you don't want it. Better for us. It will save the long suffering American taxpayer several billion dollars. Just don't expect Americans to continue buying so many cars from a place that could go up in a fireball at any time. |
| Posted by:ed |
| #4 In a DW article, Steinmeier also dismissed the Iranian missile threat: Steinmeier, however, dismissed any potential threat posed by Iranian rockets, saying Tehran did not possess the technology to make such an attack. He also spoke out against any immediate new sanctions against Iran over its nuclear policies. "The most recent resolution of the UN Security Council does not contain any automatic mechanism for the situation where Iran does not fulfill its obligations," he said. A pathetic, groveling spectacle of a man. |
| Posted by: mrp 2007-02-18 15:55 |
| #3 NOT a recognized member of the AOF |
| Posted by: Frank G 2007-02-18 15:49 |
| #2 Steinmeier, a leader in the Social Democrats (SPD), was chief of staff under current GAZPROM gasbag Gerhard Schroeder -- a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and an outspoken opponent of the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. There - fixed. |
| Posted by: mrp 2007-02-18 15:47 |
| #1 Okay. If they're inbound to Berlin, we won't use it. Happy now, Fritzy? |
| Posted by: tu3031 2007-02-18 15:21 |