Days ago it emerged that President Obama had written Russian President Medvedev with a proposition: If Russia were able to use its influence with Iran and get it to give up its nuclear weapons program, the United States would halt the construction of the U.S. missile shield in Eastern Europe.
According to this editorial from the Financial Times Deutschland, the Obama foreign policy is finally becoming clear – and his proposal to Medvedev is a bit of a coup:
“The offer to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is a clever maneuver, because it puts the Kremlin on the spot. the new U.S. government seeks to hit several birds with one stone. First, it would abandon a project that is not dear to the hearts of U.S. Democrats. The defense shield is expensive and it is doubtful whether technologically, it will ever be able to fulfill its purpose. On the other hand, Obama rebuts official criticism from the Kremlin that the stationing of missiles and radar systems in Poland and the Czech Republic is a threat to its own defenses. This case shows that Obama has some excellent Russia experts on his team. .. If Russia feels obliged to carry part of the load, something truly significant will truly have been achieved.”
EDITORIAL
Translated By Jonathan Lobsien
March 4, 2009
Germany – Financial Times Deutschland – Original Article (German)
Up to now, little was known about Barack Obama’s foreign policy convictions. We knew that the new U.S. President was more open to talks and other means of breaking with the taboos of the previous government. But what precisely this meant has been largely unknown.Now, Obama has made an offer to Russia: the U.S. is willing to abandon its missile defense shield in Eastern Europe. For the first time, one discerns something like a strategic direction. The offer to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is a clever maneuver, because it puts the Kremlin on the spot. If the construction of an Iranian bomb could be prevented, according to Obama’s message, then the missile defense shield, so unloved by Moscow, would no longer be necessary. And of course in achieving this goal, Russia has a great deal to contribute.
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