Gird your loins: Shields down
Don’t worry, be happy:
The Obama administration will scrap the controversial missile defense shield program in Eastern Europe, a senior administration official confirmed to CNN Thursday.
The U.S. has been testing the ability of ground-based interceptor missiles to hit long-range ballistic missiles.
The comment followed similar statements from officials in Poland and the Czech Republic — where key elements of the system were to be located — but was the first confirmation from an American official.
Vice President Joe Biden earlier refused to confirm to CNN that the George W. Bush-era plan was being shelved.
But he did explain the logic of doing so, saying Iran — a key concern for the United States — was not a threat.
“I think we are fully capable and secure dealing with any present or future potential Iranian threat,” he told CNN’s Chris Lawrence in Baghdad, where he is on a brief trip.
“The whole purpose of this exercise we are undertaking is to diminish the prospect of the Iranians destabilizing that region in the world. I am less concerned — much less concerned — about the Iranian potential. They have no potential at this moment, they have no capacity to launch a missile at the United States of America,” he said.
Biden said he is “deeply” involved in the review of the missile defense program.
The Bush administration had cited the perceived nuclear threat from Iran as one of the key reasons it wanted to install the missile shield in eastern Europe.
Via CNN.
See what others have said
Note from Michelle: This section is for comments from michellemalkin.com's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that I agree with or endorse any particular comment just because I let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with my terms of use may lose his or her posting privilege.
Comments
You must be logged in to post a comment.
The trial of the last Haditha Marine: SSgt Wuterich takes plea deal
January 23, 2012 03:25 PM by Michelle Malkin
59 CommentsThe last Haditha Marine: Trial update, prosecution collapse, plea deal in the works?
January 19, 2012 05:49 PM by Michelle Malkin
56 CommentsThe last Haditha Marine: Wuterich trial update
January 5, 2012 06:19 PM by Michelle Malkin
26 CommentsRemember SSgt Frank D. Wuterich: The last Haditha Marine goes on trial
January 2, 2012 12:24 AM by Michelle Malkin
57 Comments“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
December 25, 2011 03:26 AM by Michelle Malkin
75 CommentsJoe Biden: The Taliban Per Se is Not Our Enemy
December 19, 2011 04:06 PM by Doug Powers
105 CommentsRemembering Pearl Harbor: 70 years
December 7, 2011 10:10 AM by Michelle Malkin
123 CommentsA message from “Occupy Bagram”
November 20, 2011 07:54 AM by Michelle Malkin
63 CommentsMoonbat of the day: Suffolk Univ. law prof condemns sending care packages to troops, flying American flag
November 14, 2011 08:36 PM by Michelle Malkin
46 Comments
Categories: War
Weekly Standard
» White House Economic Adviser: 'We Need a Global Minimum Tax'
Pundit & Pundette
» Bishop Jenky, Nicki Minaj, and the "98%"



JustOneMinute
» We Hear From The Department Of Good Ideas And False Choices

Weekly Standard
» Obamacare Could Require Private Insurers to Fund Abortion on Demand







i don’t think anyone believes this is news!
Gates, if he has any shame should step down.
Today marks the 70th anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Poland, allying themselves with Nazi Germany.
Jimma part 2. Any agreement this country makes cannot be trusted to be carried through. A direct slap in the face of our friends while this Litter Box of an administration befriends a Honduran Dictator and plays bottom to Hugo Chavezs Top. Putin is laughing his ass off right now. What a disgrace this government is.
And they pick the 70th anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Poland to announce it.
Where’s Hillary with her Red Button?
That figures.
As if Russia would never sell rocketry to Iran. As if Russia cannot hit Europe. As if Iran can’t hit Europe. As if we don’t live in the real world.
Great, I cant sleep at night because of Insurance, Banks, GMC, Wall Street and now we drop major protection. I think I will take up crack!
If this is true, Obama and Biden should be charged with TREASON.
If need be, they’ll station Joe at the Iranian border so he can use his “nobody-messes-with-Joe” face.
Poland’s symbolic payback for joining the evil Boooosh’s coalition.
… just any number of NATO allies, an attack against any one of which would draw us into a war just as surely as if the missile hit NYC.
Can he really be this stupid?
As bad for America as Obama’s domestic actions are, what he is doing to us in the foreign policy domain is bordering on criminal.
Even France is criticizing him for being weak. ….yes…..France!!!
And Biden is saying Iran is not a threat to the US???? He really said that????
We’re in really deep $h-t people.
Obama is also hell-bent on engagement (in conversation) with Iran and others. Without conditions. Well, actually, that’s no longer true. Iran is actually setting the conditions for Obama. Aminadinnerjacket is leading Obama around like a hungry lost dog. It’s an embarrassment for the US.
And rather than make the focus of Nukes keeping Iran from getting them, Obama is talking about Nuke reductions for all countries. As if Iran having Nukes isn’t an issue, but the US having Nukes is an issue. Obama probably believes that if we junk all of our nukes, others will do so as well.
This guy is dangerously naive.
After this statement I would love to know what the responses of the european leaders are. It sounds to me like they have just been told that this administration will leave them high and dry.
This is not good. Medvedev and Ahmahdinejad met late last month to ‘strengthen relations’. I wonder if the Obama admin have been reassured by the Russians that they can vouch for Tehran’s ‘peaceful intentions’? The ghost of Neville Chamberlain returns?
The answer to that question would be….
Yes
In the years between the world wars, a treaty was made limiting the tonnage of naval shipping for Japan, Britain, and the USA. It meant less ships for US and Britain and more ships for Japan. Sounds like a great plan!
Relax everyone. Obama and Hillary will talk things out with all of our friends like Iran, Russia, China, North Korea etc through smart diplomacy. Rogue missiles are a thing of the past.
With this Admin and their complete and absolute hell bent lunacy, I am waiting for China to take out Taiwan. That clock is ticking and the Chinese know full well Obama will do nothing.
this Litter Box of an administration
Very good stillontheroad
The Left have been opposed to the missile shield concept since HalfBrite of Arkansas shot down President Nixon’s proposal. Europe was opposed to it also.
But the Second World War is over, Europe is no longer the war torn wreck it was and the Soviet Union collasped. Europe can defend herself IF SHE WANTS TO-it should no longer be our responsibility. Europe allowed Russia to rise again. How about using the Left’s old slogan in re-write: Europe for the Europeans?
European Union — Population: 491,000,000
The United States-Population 300,000,000.
Let Europe defend Europe. There are too many beautiful American Military Cemeteries all over this slime cover world. How about letting my grandsons live long lives?
The Left and Obama will not develop a shield for this country-we will just have to wait and see what we can do later.
No need to worry about nuclear blackmail by the mullahs in Iran. No no no! They just want to be loved!
OK, maybe if I were to play devil’s advocate for a minute here…
Most NATO European socialist states would collapse if they actually had to pay for any kind of reasonable defense budget themselves… Maybe this is crypto-capitalist Obama’s big gotcha joke that he’s not a communist after all and it was just a clever long-con to drag Europe kicking and screaming into the reality of how badly the trick accounting of socialism has bankrupted them all. The threat of getting nuked by Iran should get them questioning their priority of “free health care” over “patriot interceptors” real quick.
It’s okay. We were screwed no matter who got elected back in ’08. Traitor McAmnesty would have done the same thing if he was president. But at least he’s not there to give amnesty to the mexicans. And after all, that’s the most important thing of the election.
Right?
During the Bush years, Democrats fretted that we were alienating ourselves from Europe and isolating ourselves by policies and deeds in dealing with the ‘Axis of Evil’ elements, Russia, and the MiddleEast.
Funny how that isolation never really happened.
Well my last dollar (pre-health insurance tax) says that we will be shunned and isolated by the deeds and broken promises the current administration has been foisting on the world politcal body since last January.
On one level – this is very sad – we are quickly becoming less than a super-power every day.
On the other hand – I remember seeing the joy and cheers from Europe fawning over ‘Candidate’ Obama as he ran for President of Europe last year.
Me thinks that the last nail in the coffin of our global influence andtrust will be revealed when our President goes to the UN later this year.
NY Times headline for this story: White House to Scrap Bush’s Approach to Missile Shield
If we had a Congress that wasn’t fat, unpatriotic, lazy and corrupt, an impeachment resolution would be in the hopper by noon today….
With the DNC’s metrosexualization and feminization of the American male, any further “gird your loins” moment from Dear Leader will result in a hysterectomy not covered by Obamacare.
“Scotty, can you at least give me impulse power?” ” No captain. Judas Priest! There appears to be an Obamanoid cyst fused into the main warp and impule drive converters! I cannot engage engines! We are dead in the water! er vacuum!” “So in other words, we’re hosed?” “Ai captain!”
Since Obama is a true believer in Unilateral Disarmament, he’s just putting that belief into action in tossing Europe and the former USSR satellites under the bus. And he’s sending the go ahead signal for a nuke armed Iran, all in this one fell swoop.
ArizonaNeanderthal said:
If it was not for that promice of Duty, Honor and Courage, I wish to christ every single Military Man and Woman just quit, I never thought I would even whisper that. This country is worth it, this group of clown/thugs is not. I live by keeping my word but, it is also important on who you have given your word to.
Before last year’s election, I remember polls being published that showed high numbers, by country, who wanted Obama to be elected president. I would love to see those numbers now.
Wornder what that joy will look like when Russia and China really begin to flex in Europe. They will be begging for another Reagan. Europe, You reap what you sow. No more American blood for you.
But what about Odumbo’s Muslim prayer message he sent? Didn’t that have any impact?
Besides, would China actually attack Taiwan now when they know how hard Odumbo is working on socializing our health care?
KENNEDY blinked when he met KRUSCHCHEV, and we got the CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS… B. HUSSEIN just blinked at RUSSIA… I wonder what the pay-off for this will be, and WHEN???
Good point, and a good study in irony.
***
All the world’s leaders recognize President Obama (PBUH) as the worst combination of Neville Chamberlain and Jummuh Carter rolled into one.
***
They know that they are ON THEIR OWN in the world and that the new U.S.S.A. can not be trusted to keep its word and treaties. The worlds WOLF REGIMES are licking their chops and getting ready to “pick off the stragglers” soon.
***
The One will issue some STERNLY WORDED DISAPPROVALS when the S**T HITS THE FAN in the near future.
***
Unless it is a democratic state like Israel or Honduras–then The Messiah will figure out how to castigate them and sell them out. And our brilliant Secretary of State Hillary will have her department start undermining them.
***
Israel will stand up and clean out the Iranian nuke sites soon–they will not let their people die in HOLOCAUST II.
***
John Bibb
***
Sometimes a coup d’etat is a good thing.
When you look weak your enemies strike. Thanks for lowering our shields, Nobama.
And, Thomas – I guess all those Republican votes for Jim Jeffords and Arlen Specter sure kept the Republican majority, huh???? Yea, it’s not like they would have jumped the party and become democrats
This must give Israel another kick to the groin. When the war starts it will still be Bush’s fault.
Forget Pre-9/11!
Duh One has a Pre-Sept. 7/1941 mentality!
I look at the articles in the NYTimes and I think… How could these people call themselves Americans when the say things like this?
-We SHOULD reneg on our promises to allies
-We SHOULD talk to Iran and focus on convincing them to promise they won’t make weaponized material
-We SHOULD socialize the healthcare industry
Where do these people come from and what fantasy world do they live in????
Obama is making Neville Chamberlain look like a War-Monger.
The Doomsday Clock just moved a little closer to Midnight.
You have the means to stop a nuclear weapon with a non-nuclear weapon and you refuse to give yourself that option?
That’s as incredibly stupid a leader hoping to prevent nuclear war can be.
ThunderHawkk said:
When, not is, China takes out Taiwan all Obumbo will do is present himself in the bent over surrender position.
The Obama administration has set the tone for all future negotiations with Russia in the future.
Jim Jeffords and Arlen Specter have nothing to do with missile defense. And Obama being president has everything to do with his weakening us and our allies abroad. This makes us all more vulnerable to attack because of this an many more times in the future where we will be weakened militarily and strategically.
Indescribably dangerous damned fools…the lot of them.
They still do not pass either the smell test, nor the laugh test.
This entire administration, and numerous members of Congress, should be impeached, tossed out, arrested, and tried for failing to protect us against foreign enemies; as well as domestic enemies, which they themselves are.
It didn’t have to be this way. We were not screwed in 08 – before the election, while there was still a choice to be made.
We were only screwed after the only person who had a chance of defeating obama was himself defeated by our enemies – as well as so many of us here who should have known better. Again, it didn’t have to turn out this way. And unless something is done about it, the same mistake can happen again.
Hey Thomas, you still spewing that same old bile? Don’t you ever get tired of being, McCain’s personal sponge boy?
Putin was unavailable for comment, but was seen giving high fives all around.
Eastern Europe – who needs them… Go ahead Putin, take them, they were yours anyway…
and here… take Puerto Rico while you’re at it…
LOL@the cheese maverick
Is the Barak Hussein Obama Center For Community Organizing and Presidential Repository now paid for? Just wondering.
It was a racist missle shield anyway.
Thomas 808391
Hey, you’re the one who keeps bringing up how we should all blindly vote Republican.
I’m just asking you how well that worked with Jim Jeffords and Arlen Specter.
Anyone else think it’s time to start talking about impeachment?
The guy is systematically taking down our defenses, ruining our economy and setting us up for destruction.
I would be more concerned had the sheild been located in Turkey (or, Greece), and then cancelled. Eastern Europe is not the best location if the threat is from Iran. And, now there is the potential threat from Pakistan.
Yes, to missile defense, but only located where it can do the maximum good, for the defined threat. Then again, if the concern is a missile defense against Russia. Eastern Europe is the best location.
I prefer doing the right thing for the right reason. That is far more honest than doing the right thing for the wrong reason.
I put up Drudge and saw the line that it is the 70th anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Poland & it took my breath away. My mind is numb. Rush just said “what a freaking day”. Too much information to digest; my head is spinning. Now, buck up, and listen to Rush about Poland and try to gather strength from what is to come; Fight on. (sorry; twitter shortness has invaded commenting mode) God help us all.
I am sure there is a deal in the works, Taiwan for our indebtedness.
Yep.
See my earlier post.
“And we’re too stupid to care about the capacity they’ll have next week or maybe the week after,” Biden continued. “I mean let’s be real, if the government doesn’t run health care, it won’t matter if they nuke us because we’re all gonna die anyway. At least I think that’s what Ears said. I was dozing through most of the meeting.”
Apparently Thomas would rather heap disdain on the 3% that voted third party instead of the 53% that voted for Obama.
Now why would he want to do that?
It’s a pretty dark day when you realize the real leaders of the free world right now are Benjamin Netanayhu, Angela Merkel, and Nicolas Sarkozy. The U.S. of A. is M.I.A. as long as as the gangsters of Chicago are running the show.
Did you see on Drudge that it’s the 70th anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Poland?
So, was Gates for the shield before he was against the missile shield? Does this guy have a backbone, or is he an Obama invertebrate?
Cripes- when the French, of all people, call us a bunch of weenies, I know this is bad.
So where is Obama planning on deploying this new system? Sounds like they’re talking more about deploying it to mainland US and not in Europe.
And why is the Russian envoy, Vitaly Churkin smiling at the news?
The Obamatons are claiming it’s a change in missle rather than them dropping it.
What’s the story?
Elections have consequences. And here is – yet again, more consequences of the democrat who was victorious. And it didn’t have to turn out that way. It’s stupid. It’s a self-inflicted wound. It’s allowing harm to come to all of us, all because of a single political issue and a petty grudge.
And some people would rather vote third party or choose to not vote at all and allow the democrat to win because of their single issue. And now we are 9 months into the Obama presidency. We’ve got a very long way to go until he can no longer do harm to us and our allies.
You equate that to ‘blindly vote Republican’, and you are really ignorant of the facts. And the consequences of such actions.
Oh, man…LOL!!
Great post!!
err.. “…change in missile defense rather than…”
I’m almost glad Biden is part of Obama’s team. He’s an awesome liability for them.
Huge victory for Russia and Iran. Huge loss fro the USA.
Israel and Taiwan better “gird their loins”.
I have no voice to the democrats who voted for the democrat. But I do have a voice to the fellow conservatives who thought it was such a stellar idea to throw the election and try again in 4 years.
Now why would they (conservatives) want to do that? Oh, yeah. Amnesty. It’s totally worth it to get everything that Obama has done so far, and has yet to do to punish the evil McTraitor. Disdain is the least of what these people deserve for their actions.
Thomas 808447
Yeah, those votes for the Republican candidates Specter and Jeffords sure had consequences, didn’t they? I guess I really was ignorant of the facts – like when they said they were Republicans. And the consequences of those actions – like when they betrayed their voters and joined the democrats.
Whew, I’m sure glad those votes for Jeffords and Specter kept the Republican majority, huh? How did that work out, by the way?
Recently, Hillary Clinton assured Israel that we (the U.S.) would provide them with a ‘defense umbrella’ to protect against Iranian nukes. This latest action by the Obama administration in regards to the Czech Republic and Poland demonstrates that her assurances mean little or nothing.
It’s claimed on Fox online that 80% of the Czech population isn’t for a U.S. missile shield, which begs the question; do they far more fear it makes them a Russian target than trust the U.S.’s promise of protection?
James Greenidge
Queens, NY
Looking at what Obama said, I would like to believe him, but he has lied and distorted things so much before, in his quest for power, I would walk outside to check, if he told me it was daylight at 12 noon.
One word, Barry: Georgia
No, not Jimmeh’s peanut farm, the other one.
Congrats Mr. Putin, you win another one.
Interesting while all this intense “statesmanship” is going down Hillary has dropped off the planet. I think Uruguay was her big assignment this week. My money has her resigning next year to go for NY Gov.
That’s the point. Democrats don’t make up 53% of the voters.
You mean like grinding the same axe on every thread regardless of whether or not it’s on topic?
Ceroth, at 11:45 am
I agree.
Thomas, it’s over – that horse is dead.
I’m on the outside of this crowd. Why can’t Europe build it’s own defense system? They’ve apparently perfected health care – so let’s them tackle actually providing their own defense systems.
Can we ever turn Europe back over to the Europeans?
Off Topic but -
With the ACORN Tree aflame, Health not Care and the Chaka wannabe selling out our friends in Europe – whats going on with the other hand we cannot see.
Don’t blame me, I voted for Sarah.
I can honestly say that I see that side of it as well. We can all point at the smoking crater and say “I told you so” a few years from now.
But what happens when Russia or China decides we’re weak and tries to pick a fight? It’s the indication that Obama is afraid of confrontation that’s the problem. It just emboldens Russia to start something with Georgia, China with Taiwan, or Iran with Israel. If people are anti-war now, what will they be like if we have to go all out? Will we go all out?
That’s not true at all. If it were, nobody would bother voting at all. I dare say that nobody has ever voted for a candidate that agreed with them on all the issues.
Immigration, Fiscal Policy, SCOTUS Choices, – there’s simply nothing about John McCain that appealed to me.
And he could have won the election if he had voted against the Bailout. Politics being what they are, he could sneakily ensured they didn’t need his vote, pretended to go all mavericky, and simply stolen the election. He didn’t. That’s his fault, not mine.
Not holding the GOP accountable for Bush’s big spending, big government mistakes would have done far more damage to America in the long run than Obama ever will.
That’s all neither here nor there, Thomas. Even when you add in Ralph Nader, all of the third party votes combined would have made no difference if you applied them either way.
The battle was not for Republican votes – there just aren’t enough Republicans, even if they vote in lockstep, to carry an election.
The battleground was – and will be – for the independent vote, Obama won that contest – though now that they know him, he’s dropping like a brick amongst the independents in the polling.
At any rate, rehashing the vote turnout is particularly moot since it macht nichts, then & now.
Ya pick yerself up, dust yerself off and go on.
.
Which doesn’t answer the question – can’t they build their own system?
If it’s to protect us, shouldn’t it be in Alaska or something?
Marco,
I’m sure they can. It’s easier to let us foot the bill.
Ya’ll got it all wrong, it is Iran who Obama is protecting…Pretty soon he will be going by Barrack Hussein Obama…
Today is also Citizenship (Constitution) Day, commemorating the signing of the U.S. Constitution.
I was seriously for it the day after the election. I submitted that the paperwork should be ready to hit the ground running on Jan 20th. It was inevitable that Obama would do great damage to the country, so it would be just a matter of filling in the blanks with the particular damage(s) as the articles of impeachment.
This Just in:
Experts at the world’s top atomic watchdog are in agreement that Tehran has the ability to make a nuclear bomb and is on the way to developing a missile system able to carry an atomic warhead, according to a secret report seen by The Associated Press.
The document drafted by senior officials at the International Atomic Energy Agency is the clearest indication yet that the agency’s leaders share Washington’s views on Iran’s weapon-making capabilities.”
Who in Washington? Who knows what? What kind of Circle J— is going on?
Since his entire career thus far consisted of sticking it to “the man,” he still doesn’t realize that now he IS “the man”.
MtsEdge said:
Or Putins Plushy Toy.
SOTR, too bad for us he’s “the man.”
P.S. Now where’d I put my brain bleach?
swede,
Can we ever really trust the leprechauns?
MtsEdge said:
For some reason I think I picked the wrong day to stop drinking lol
Missile shield down in trade for Russian oil, maybe?
If the UK can deal with devils …