http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/..._rG7wD9APALGO2

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama abruptly canceled a long-planned missile shield for Eastern Europe on Thursday, replacing a Bush-era project that was bitterly opposed by Russia with a plan he contended would better defend against a growing threat of Iranian missiles.

I never really liked this system, I thought it was a waste of money and only caused issues with the Russians that weren't necessary, but what I am worrying about now are the countries who agreed to hold such missiles, namely Poland and the Czech Republic. Who knows what price they may pay for going against the Russians?

Thoughts?

And what timing! 70 years to the day of the USSR invading Poland in '39.

Anything we do in the former Soviet Bloc/Warsaw Pact nations is going to cause "problems" with Russia. Putin is intent on reestablishing a Russian (read Soviet type) sphere of influence among the former Bloc nations. Only question now is how he does this. The amount of resistance to this on our part is likely going to be minimal.

If America doesn't stand up to those who stand up for the United States, it will find itself very much alone.

It will be interesting to see what happens now that the Russian government a.k.a Mr Putin has got what he wants. There will have to be a quid pro quo somewhere. Perhaps significantly increased Russian pressure on Iran.

Originally Posted by 03USMC

Anything we do in the former Soviet Bloc/Warsaw Pact nations is going to cause "problems" with Russia. Putin is intent on reestablishing a Russian (read Soviet type) sphere of influence among the former Bloc nations. Only question now is how he does this. The amount of resistance to this on our part is likely going to be minimal.

Im not so sure, countries like Poland, Ukraine, Georgia, the Czech Republic, Romania and many others have very strong anti-Russian feelings. The only way Putin could maintain control is by considerable force, and I can tell you for a fact that Ukrania, Georgia, Polancd and the Czechs wouldnt surrender their freedoms without a fight. Besides even in Russia its generally accepted that invading countries for occupation purposes is unstylish.

As for the Missile Shield -Goodriddence. A Bloody White Elephant that

A) Reliabilty was deeply suspect -and I think the DOD inflated the already unimpressive results to disguise what a lemon the thing was.
B) Was poised against a threat that didnt actually exsist, only might exist in theory. And Frankly the theory is pretty weak.
C) Was useless against any other type of Nuclear threat like N.Korea
D) Needlessly prevoked the Russians, and made the Europeans nervous.
E) Was Uber-Expensive, and served to throw public cash at friends of the previous Administration.

Originally Posted by mmarsh

Im not so sure, countries like Poland, Ukraine, Georgia, the Czech Republic, Romania and many others have very strong anti-Russian feelings. The only way Putin could maintain control is by considerable force, and I can tell you for a fact that Ukrania, Georgia, Polancd and the Czechs wouldnt surrender their freedoms without a fight. Besides even in Russia its generally accepted that invading countries for occupation purposes is unstylish.

As for the Missile Shield -Goodriddence. A Bloody White Elephant that

A) Reliabilty was deeply suspect -and I think the DOD inflated the already unimpressive results to disguise what a lemon the thing was.
B) Was poised against a threat that didnt actually exsist, only might exist in theory. And Frankly the theory is pretty weak.
C) Was useless against any other type of Nuclear threat like N.Korea
D) Needlessly prevoked the Russians, and made the Europeans nervous.
E) Was Uber-Expensive, and served to throw public cash at friends of the previous Administration.

Nicely outlined.
Now supply souces to support your points.

Originally Posted by mmarsh

Im not so sure, countries like Poland, Ukraine, Georgia, the Czech Republic, Romania and many others have very strong anti-Russian feelings. The only way Putin could maintain control is by considerable force, and I can tell you for a fact that Ukrania, Georgia, Polancd and the Czechs wouldnt surrender their freedoms without a fight. Besides even in Russia its generally accepted that invading countries for occupation purposes is unstylish.

.
.

Well apparently, according to an AP report today the Poles and Czechs don't share you feelings on this issue. The Czech Republics largest daily paper ran a Headline "No Radar. The Russians Won" In Poland a headline was "Betrayal. The US sold us to the Russians and stabbed us in the back." Lithiuna a NATO member has expressed "regret". Yet another Czech paper as stated that "an ally we rely on has betrayed us,and exchanged us for its own, better realtions with Russia, of which we are rightly afraid."

With Russias incursions into Georgia, continued pressure on the Ukraine, to include cutting off gas to the Ukraine last winter, it's apparent, to me at least that Putin is attempting to re-expand the sphere of influence back to Soviet era style. Will this make him more apt to use other methods ?

If we are going to turn our backs on these allies it's gotta give the rest of our allies a warm fuzzy feeling. I just hope this isn't another stop on the 2009 apology tour, cause this one could bite us in terms of our allies.

Originally Posted by 03USMC

Well apparently, according to an AP report today the Poles and Czechs don't share you feelings on this issue. The Czech Republics largest daily paper ran a Headline "No Radar. The Russians Won" In Poland a headline was "Betrayal. The US sold us to the Russians and stabbed us in the back." Lithiuna a NATO member has expressed "regret". Yet another Czech paper as stated that "an ally we rely on has betrayed us,and exchanged us for its own, better realtions with Russia, of which we are rightly afraid."

With Russias incursions into Georgia, continued pressure on the Ukraine, to include cutting off gas to the Ukraine last winter, it's apparent, to me at least that Putin is attempting to re-expand the sphere of influence back to Soviet era style. Will this make him more apt to use other methods ?

If we are going to turn our backs on these allies it's gotta give the rest of our allies a warm fuzzy feeling. I just hope this isn't another stop on the 2009 apology tour, cause this one could bite us in terms of our allies.

Agree with the fears these countries have. It is a replay of what happened to them at the end of WWII. How many years did the spend under that communist yoke. It is very fresh in their mines. They don't have to look it up in history books, they lived it.

Well, I can't blame these countries for being nervous. They're going to be tempted to take the route of letting the Russians do what they want, because the last time one of them tried to stand up to Russia we offered them no support, and the Russians took over half the country.