So what do the Polish have to say about President Obama’s apparent willingness to give up the the much struggled-over Central European missile shield for Russian help with Iran’s nuclear program?
According to Marek Magierowski of Poland’s Rzeczpospolita, Obama had better have quite a few moves planned in advance if he hopes to win that chess match. Magierowski writes in part:
“He is extending his hand to Russia and Syria, and soon, perhaps, to Cuba. … he wants to negotiate with Moscow over the anti-missile system, despite agreements signed with Poland and the Czech Republic. Neither is he against the resumption of contacts between NATO and Kremlin diplomats. … This is a classic chess gambit: Obama is sacrificing the missile shield and Washington’s principled position regarding the Russo-Georgian war in favor of future gains – which are uncertain at best. … will Obama’s gambit bring the expected result? The Russians are expert chess players and the only American able to challenge them in this field – Bobby Fischer – ended up losing his mind. How many moves in advance has the U.S. president planned?”
The Russians, meanwhile, say they aren’t impressed with such an exchange. This Russian translation from Novosti of Russia headlined, ‘Iran Can’t Be ‘Swapped for Halt to U.S. Missile Defense,’ outlines what Moscow is looking for in terms of offering help with Iran. According to Novosti’s Ilya Kramnik, the Kremlin wants much more than just an end to the missile shield – which in any case, it suspects we can’t afford.
“The U.S. may well be in a situation in which it will have to renounce its missile defense system without negotiation – and without disguising this fact with fine words about “additional tests” and the “development of a more sophisticated system. … In fact, the real reason will be a simple lack of funds to pay for such a gigantic project. These are facts that also have to be taken into account.”
By Marek Magierowski
Translated By Halszka Czarnocka
March 6, 2009
Poland – Rzeczpospolita – Original Article (Polish)
At every opportunity during the U.S. presidential campaign, Barack Obama took positions opposed to those of his predecessor. He had, it must be said, an easy task: responsibility for words is not as heavy as responsibility for deeds. But when the time came for decision-making, the new president disillusioned many of his supporters who expected a speedier exit from Iraq, the immediate closing of the prison at Guantanamo and milder treatment for terrorist suspects.
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