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Missile Defense Success Cause Global Reaction
The successful Sept. 1 test of a U.S. Ground-Based Interceptor is already having repercussions around the world. On Sept. 6, Alexanbdr Vondra, foreign minister of the Czech Republic, boldly stated that European members of NATO would have to build an effective anti-ballistic missile system in cooperation with the United States."In the future, the North Atlantic Alliance and European states will not be able to avoid the construction of this system, and it is in the interest of Europe to build such systems in cooperation with America," he announced at a conference on ballistic missile defense in the Czech capital Prague. In a way, Vondra's comments come as no surprise. His prime minister, Mirek Topolanek, has already been strongly supportive of allowing the United States to build a base for the deployment of Ground-Based Interceptors, or GBIs, such as the one that was successfully tested on Sept. 1 within the territory of the Czech Republic. And the government of neighboring Poland, especially Polish Defense Minister Radek Sikorski, formerly the long-time head of the New Atlantic Initiative in Washington, is also very supportive of building bases in Poland to house GBIs that could defend his country -- as well as the other countries in the 25-nation European Union -- against possible ballistic missile attack. However, Vondra's remarks were a significant strengthening of the Czech position. And the issue has been a much more controversial political football in the Czech Republic than in Poland. Previous Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek argued that a national referendum must be held before the United States could be allowed to build a BMD base on Czech territory. By contrast, Topolanek has argued that such a vote should not be necessary. Clearly the successful U.S. test has strengthened Topolanek and Vonda's hand as well that of Sikorski and his colleagues in Poland. [..] Posted by: 3dc 2006-09-17 |
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