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Home Front: Politix
Germany, Italy Protest At US Axing Of Missile Defense
2013-02-03
More moves by The Smartest Man in the Room and his clever henchpeople. Remember when y'all thought we should vote for him, O Europe? This is your reward: you got what you wanted. Enjoy.
[Jpost] Germany and Italia have told the United States they expect it to fulfill its obligations after the US Congress blocked funding for a missile defense program involving the three countries, Germany said on Saturday.

A defense bill passed by Congress in December prohibited a final US payment of $400.9 million for development of the Medium Extended Air and Missile Defense System, known as MEADS, which is being developed by Lockheed Martin with partners in Italia and Germany. US politicians said Washington has no plans to produce the system.

The United States, Italia and Germany have spent about $4 billion to develop MEADS over the past decade as a successor to the Patriot missile defense system.

The White House raised concerns about the bill before its approval, warning that a ban on MEADS funding could harm Washington's broader relationship with its allies.
Posted by:trailing wife

#8  :imho ON.
The US interest in MEADS is to prevent IRAN from blackmailing Europe into standing aside to Iranian moves in the Middle east that are not in Europe's interest. No MEADS means that Europe has to either standup for itself or "go gentle into that good night" that Dylan Thomas spoke of.
:imho OFF.
Posted by: Mike Ramsey   2013-02-03 12:42  

#7  "Industry executives and foreign officials say the government may face termination fees nearly equal to the money required to finish the system, which is financed by the United States, Italy and Germany." Congress passes bill to ban funding for MEADS missile defense system, December 19, 2012
Posted by: Mike Ramsey   2013-02-03 12:23  

#6  ...I'm inclined to think that our Allies thought that the President was saying one thing to keep the base quiet and would do something else entirely when it came down to it.

Well, as was pointed out, they got exactly what they wanted, and now they're scared. I've said this before and I'll say it again - NONE of the NATO allies (with the very qualified exception of the UK) have capable militaries any more. They have mostly administrative units plus what amount to a few very heavily armed paramilitary police units, and that's IT. We're supposed to be protecting them while they enjoy the Millennium, and they're now starting to consider the awful possibility that we aren't going to any more. NATO has no, repeat NO requirements for any US units to be based there...and it may be dawning on the Allies that what was once unthinkable - the withdrawal of all but a couple of token units from continental Europe - is now far more possible than they ever dreamed.

As the Perfesser says, "That which cannot go on forever, won't."

Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski   2013-02-03 11:52  

#5  Europe is getting the America it wanted.

Be careful what you wish for.
Posted by: DarthVader   2013-02-03 11:04  

#4  The deal is that they allow the US to be the reserve currency and the US provides the military umbrella. This may not end well.
Posted by: tipper   2013-02-03 08:55  

#3  Military welfare recipients complain about cuts to the dole. Anything in this says that they can't fund it themselves, if they thought it was so important?
Posted by: Procopius2k   2013-02-03 08:25  

#2  A shirtless Putin, holding a custom made SAKO hunting rifle smiles broadly.
Posted by: Besoeker   2013-02-03 07:20  

#1  Why bad things happen to good people?
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2013-02-03 05:12  

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