Let’s Hope Democrats Put Bush Missile Shield on Ice
![[The Times, U.K.]](http://watchingamerica.com/images/busputinplayitagainsammed_cartoon.jpg)
Is America’s proposed missile shield in Europe of real strategic value, or just President Bush’s ‘absurd’ reaction to the post-September 11th world? Whatever the motivation, according to this op-ed article from Germany’s Frankfurter Rundschau, Europeans are hoping that a new Democratic administration in the U.S. will slam the brakes on the idea.
“The entire project could be put on hold for years – unless Bush can create a fait accompli in Eastern Europe. … Those who care less about Bush’s trophy collection and more about reducing tension would no doubt welcome the delay.”
By Dietmar Ostermann
Translated By Ulf Behncke
November 2, 2007
Germany – Frankfurter Rundschau – Original Article (German)
One of the unspoken reasons behind the great urgency with which the U.S. Government has been pushing its plans for anti-missile defense has always been the political timetable. George W. Bush regards this project as an important part of his legacy. Ever since Reagan, conservatives in America have dreamed of achieving security and strategic dominance with a ballistic missile shield that would destroy incoming missiles.
To be sure, the events of September 11 and the emergence of the asymmetric threat from terrorism led to a dream of invulnerability ad absurdum. But be that as it may, Bush wants to go down in history as the president who sheltered America and its allies under a missile shield. Which is why years ago, a crude battery of missile interceptors went into service in Alaska and California, although no one knows whether they’ll work in the event of a crisis. Therefore, the first spade is to break ground on a third anti-missile battery in Poland before Bush leaves the White House in January 2009.
