U.S., Washington, Sept.18. / Trend N.Bogdanova /
President Obama's decision to give up plans to deploy U.S. missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic will provide ground to its allies to doubt about American promises, well-known American analyst, Sally McNamara, said.
"It represents the shameful abandonment of two of America's closest allies in Central and Eastern Europe, and in future, America's allies will have cause to question the integrity and credibility of American promises" said in an interview with TREND's Washington correspondent Sally McNamara, Senior Policy Analyst in European Affairs at Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom and Heritage Foundation in Washington.
On Sept.17, U.S. President Obama made a statement on the refusal of the United States from its plans to deploy U.S. missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic.
The former U.S. administration actively pushed the project on creation of a national missile defense system. George Bush's administration intended to deploy ten interceptor missiles in Poland and radar in the Czech Republic by 2013 under the pretext of protection of the alleged missile threat from Iran. Moscow was concerned that these systems will threaten its security.
"President Obama's decision to abandon plans to deploy U.S. missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic is entirely a political one - in order to appease Russia," McNamara added.
"This is a loss-leader for President Obama: a strategic loss, a security loss, a diplomatic loss and a major loss for America's prestige on the world stage", - said the analyst of Heritage Foundation Sally McNamara in an interview with TREND.
She said that Washington's last his decision is a strategic victory for the Kremlin, which is determined to have a sphere of privileged interest in its near-abroad.
The question of missile defense system remained the only serious disagreement between Moscow and Washington after Obama's coming into power. During his pre-election campaign, Obama highlighted his intention to revise the plans to deploy missile defense systems in Europe. If the military experts consider placement of MDS ineffective, the U.S. will give up it.
According to analyst, the decision "also leaves the U.S. and Europe more vulnerable to the threat of ballistic missile attack. The Third Site installations proposed for Poland and the Czech Republic - Ground-Based Midcourse Defense interceptors in Poland and radar in the Czech Republic - were cost-effective, proven technologies which offered protection from long range missile attack to both Europe and the United States. The alternative deployments which President Obama has said he will now pursue will not satisfy those criteria".
The official reason for U.S. refusal from its plans was the fact that the threat from Iran has become less than expected. According to the U.S. military's research, Iran does not possess long-range missiles, to be protected from which the missile defenses was planned to be placed in the Czech Republic and Poland.
Alternative places for deployment of a missile defense shield, which, according to Obama, he will now consider, will not satisfy these criteria, believes McNamara.
Ms. McNamara also stresses that neither has Washington secured any great concession from Russia. "There is scant evidence that Moscow intends to deliver anything credible in return for Washington's abandonment of the Third Site, especially with regard to the growing Iranian threat. There is equally little indication that the Obama Administration's risky policy of engagement with Iran is working either".
Heritage's expert thinks that "the decision - to concentrate resources defending against short range missiles and not field defenses against long range missile attacks - makes no sense. To be truly strategic about national and international security, the United States must defend against current and future threats"
According to McNamara, ballistic missile threats may occur without prior notice.
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