“US President Barack Obama is to scrap Bush-era plans to deploy a missile defense shield in Poland and the Czech Republic.”
CNN Associated Press. “Obama scraps Bush-era missile defense for new plan.” Retrieved September 19, 2009 from [Source]
The United States is shelving the Bush-era plans to set up a radar site in the Czech Republic and 10 missile interceptors in Poland to counter the threat of Iran launching long-range ballistic missiles at America’s allies in Europe. President Obama is developing a newer plan that will be suitable for the current threat of Iranian missile capabilities.
As President Obama stated, “The change of gears was based on an updated intelligence assessment about Iran’s ability to hit Europe with missiles.” “The Islamic republic’s “short- and medium-range” missiles pose the most current threat, and this new ballistic missile defense will best address that threat.”
Defense Secretary Robert Gates denied that the United States was completely scraping the plan, but changing the plans of the types of missiles that will be based in Poland which should not raise concerns from the Russians. “This new approach provides a better missile defense capability for our forces in Europe, for our European allies and eventually for our homeland than the program I recommended almost three years ago”, said Gates. The United States’ change of plans does not reflect any lesser commitment to European Defense.
The former Czech prime minister, Mirek Topolanek, said: “This is not good news for the Czech state, for Czech freedom and independence. It puts us in a position wherein we are not firmly anchored in terms of partnership, security and alliance, and that’s a certain threat.” The Polish deputy foreign minister, Andrzej Kremer, said that Warsaw had heard from different sources there were “serious chances” the anti-missile system would not be deployed.
The Russian Foreign Ministry received confirmations from the United States and said, “In principle, such a development would help the development of our bilateral relations with the United States.” After confirmations, the Foreign Ministry says it will scrap its plans to deploy missiles in Poland.
This move sets the United States and Russia at a less hostile relationship in hopes they can work together to co-operate on Afghanistan and reduce the risk of nuclear proliferation.
“European leaders enthusiastically praised President Barack Obama‘s new Afghan strategy at a NATO summit Saturday but held their ground on a central disagreement and offered only military trainers and extra security forces for upcoming elections.”
Lekic, Slobodan. Europe praises Obama, pledges few Afghan troops. Retrieved on April 4, 2009 from [Source]
In a variation on his message to Europe during the G-20 Summit, President Barack Obama on Friday described an America that needs to change as he arrived for the NATO summit but appealed to Europeans to set aside their own “insidious” anti-U.S. bias in return. It was a twist on the conciliatory approach Obama has relied on over the past four days as he travels through Europe, spelling out a new U.S. foreign policy and attitude that differ sharply from those of his predecessor.
But as leaders of the NATO alliance gathered for Saturday’s summit, it was far from clear whether the White House campaign would bring immediate results for the president’s main goals, in particular cementing new commitments of help in Afghanistan.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy said that France would commit no new troops to the effort. German Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed support for the Obama administration’s plans to expand civilian rebuilding efforts and training programs for Afghan security forces. Between those diplomatic meetings, Obama employed a strategy he has honed at home: pairing talks with high-level leaders with pep rallies catering to the leaders’ bases of support.
On Friday, the president held a town hall meeting in a local sports arena, where hundreds of screaming teens filled the room and lavished Obama with displays of approval. The images were broadcasted from the site on the German-French border and surely were noticed by Sarkozy and Merkel.
Obama told the crowd that Americans had turned away from partnerships and failed to recognize Europe’s “leading role in the world.” He acknowledged the U.S. has at times shown “arrogance and been dismissive, even derisive.“
As the crowd signaled its agreement, however, Obama went further, turning the critique on the audience. Obama stated:
“In Europe, there is an anti-Americanism that is at once casual but can also be insidious.” “Instead of recognizing the good that America so often does in the world, there have been times where Europeans choose to blame America for much of what’s bad.”
Obama’s job of finding extra help from NATO allies for Afghanistan was complicated Friday, expressing Afghanistan was enacting a fundamentalist law on marriage that human-rights advocates said would allow a husband to rape his wife.
Afghanistan is seen as a crucial test of the power and relevance of the alliance, which was founded at the height of the Cold War to counterbalance the Soviet Union and now is struggling against a rising insurgency far beyond its borders. This support will play an integral role in winning the war in Afghanistan by stabilizing the region, training the police force and protecting interests that still remain.
“Pakistan‘s startling accord with Taliban fighters that would impose Islamic religious law on the strategic Swat valley looms as a setback for the Obama administration’s hopes to mount a united front against militants there and in Afghanistan.”
Schweid, Barry. Allies Alarmed by Pakistan deal with Taliban. Retrieved February 19, 2009 from [Source]
The Pakistani government called for a truce with the Taliban terrorist group that is causing global tension with Pakistan. Recently, Pakistan allowed Taliban forces in the northwestern sector of Pakistan to dominate under strict regimen law. This is causing troops near the border of Pakistan to be on high alert given that Taliban forces nearby the Afghanistan border could spark an attack on U.S. militant forces and other NATO forces. Shortly after this report was released, President Obama authorized a surge of 17,000 troops in the region which will support the remaining troops who may be affected by the Taliban presence in northwestern Pakistan.
This move Pakistan has done is a mere step backwards to its “supporting role” in the fight against terrorism. Allowing the Taliban to gain ground on Pakistan’s Swat region can cause a safe haven for terrorists and threaten the border where the NATO troops are patrolling. NATO is very concerned with Pakistan’s stability. Given that Pakistan has nuclear weapons, these Taliban forces can attempt to take over and gain access to nuclear weapons; or even trade nuclear weapons that can get in the hands of Osama Bin Laden and Al Qaeda.
Pakistan must start to take a stronger stance against extremists. If Pakistan continues to truce and side with the Taliban, it can cause greater tension between NATO and Pakistan, and can cause another global security threat if the terrorists have access to nuclear weapons. Our military is long overdue to withdraw from Iraq, and we must remain focus on Afghanistan and capturing Osama Bin Laden. We must also remain with close ties in hopes that the U.S., NATO and Pakistan can work together in removing the Taliban’s presence from Pakistan.
“Kyrgyzstan’s parliament voted Thursday to close a key U.S. air base in the country — a move that could hamper President Barack Obama‘s efforts to increase the number of U.S. forces in Afghanistan.
Deputies voted 78-1 for the government-backed bill to cancel the lease agreement on the Manas air base, a transit point for 15,000 troops and 500 tons of cargo each month to and from Afghanistan. Two deputies abstained.
If President Kurmanbek Bakiyev signs the bill and Kyrgyz authorities issue an eviction notice, the United States will have 180 days to vacate the base.”
Saralayeva, Leila. Kyrgyz parliament approves U.S. Base Closure. Retrieved February 19, 2009 from [Source]
The country of Kyrgyzstan, a former republic of the Soviet Union, voted in favor of closing the U.S. Air Base in the country. This base is a very important base to the United States due to its daily use of cargo tonnage transported to and from Afghanistan and tens of thousands of troops based in Kyrgyzstan. This move can affect the United States’ ability to maneuver troops closer to Afghanistan and can cause grave consequences for U.S. efforts to put down surging Taliban and Al Qaeda violence.
The president of Kyrgyzstan, Kurmanbek Bakiyev made a statement in Moscow saying that he will decide to order the U.S. to close the base to end the violence in Afghanistan. There is reason to believe that the Russians are behind the closing of the base so that Moscow can declare victory in its efforts to squeeze the United States out of Central Asia, home to substantial oil and gas reserves, and seen by Russia as part of its strategic sphere of influence. Russia provided Kyrgyzstan billions of dollars in aid, which Defense Secretary Gates believe may be a link to the decision made to close the base.
A Communist Deputy in Kyrgyzstan states that Kyrgyzstan does not need any airbase in the country especially when it has close ties with Russia. Defense Secretary Gates stated:
“I think that the Russians are trying to have it both ways with respect to Afghanistan. On one hand you’re making positive noises about working with us in Afghanistan and on the other hand you’re working against us in terms of that airfield which is clearly important to us.”
The Kyrgyzstan government states that the United States has not been paying enough rent for their presence there and calls for the close this month. General Petraeus was just there and he talked with them, and he stated that the U.S. has a standing contract and they’re making millions off our presence there, and that there are no plans to shut down access to it anytime soon. The United States currently pumps a total of $150 million into Kyrgyzstan’s economy annually, including $63 million in rent for Manas.
This political move sparks a revisit from the 10 year war the Soviet Union had with Afghanistan from 1979 – 1989. During this time, the United States’ effort was to ensure Afghanistan does not collapse to anarchy, and the Soviet Union agreed to the U.S.’s policy then. But as the Kremlin remains suspicions about U.S. foreign policy, so has Russian wariness about the U.S. presence in Central Asia. Russia also uses a military air base in the ex-Soviet nation.
It will soon be time for the Obama administration to meet with Russia in terms of future relations with each other. The U.S. must nurture the European and Central Asian allies in order to remain prosperous in its efforts to conclude plans in Afghanistan and Iraq. With a new administration leading both, the United States and Russia, the United States should use its leverage to induce Russia to abandon policies detrimental to the alliance. The emerging NATO-Russia Council should solidify a Russian commitment to Western values and interests, even after Russian President Vladimir Putin is gone. A continuum of failed foreign policies that remain from the Bush administration could cause political coil between Russia and the United States, and such actions involving Russian pressure on U.S. interests that remain in Central Asia will deteriorate over time.
Supporters of the former Bush administration like to say that there have been no terrorist attacks on US soil since the tragedy of September 11, 2001, suggesting that President Bush has kept the country safe from terrorism. What they forget is that Osama Bin Laden clearly outlined his strategy for battling America, not by flying more planes into new buildings, but by driving the US into bankruptcy and economic collapse.
The current economic collapse among US banks has cost taxpayers over $800 billion so far in federal bailouts, a loss of jobs and an $800 billion stimulus package set to be signed by the president today. In addition to the trillions spent off the budget in financing the occupation of Iraq and a maintenance mode war in Afghanistan that was borrowed from China, and it’s obvious that the yet un-captured Bin Laden can declare “mission accomplished.”
In November 2004, CNN reported that Bin Laden released a video monologue to Al-Jazeera where the terror-savvy, extreme fundamentalist announced plans to continue a “policy in bleeding America to the point of bankruptcy” using similar tactics to those used when fighting the Soviet Union in Afghanistan in the 80s, “guerrilla warfare and the war of attrition to fight tyrannical superpowers.”
“Al Qaeda has found it easy for us to provoke and bait this administration. All that we have to do is to send two mujahedeen to the furthest point east to raise a piece of cloth on which is written Al Qaeda, in order to make generals race there to cause America to suffer human, economic and political losses without their achieving anything of note other than some benefits for their private corporations.”
“And it all shows that the real loser is you. It is the American people and their economy.”
Associated Press. Bin Laden: Goal is to Bankrupt U.S. Retrieved February 16, 2009 from [Source]
In 2004, the US national debt was more than $7 trillion, but today it has grown to $9.6 trillion, roughly $31,640 of debt for every American citizen according to the U.S. National Debt Clock. The US is currently spending an astounding $12 billion per month in Iraq. Bin Laden believes that Al Qaeda can bring about the economic collapse of the United States, and to achieve this goal, he has adopted a strategy of targeting America’s financial centers and economic infrastructure. Bin Laden cites the 9/11 attacks as proof that this strategy can succeed. In a November 2004 videotape broadcast on Al Jazeera, he stated:
“Al Qaeda spent only $500,000 on the event, while America lost, according to the lowest estimate, $500 billion….meaning that every dollar of Al Qaeda defeated a million dollars [of America] … besides the loss of a huge number of jobs.”
“America is a superpower, with enormous military strength and vast economic power, but all this is built on foundations of straw. So it is possible to target those foundations and focus on their weakest points, which, even if you strike only one-tenth of them, then the whole edifice will totter and sway.”
“People used to ask us: ‘How will you defeat the Soviet empire?’ And at that time, the Soviet empire was a mighty power that scared the whole world. … Today, there is no more Soviet empire. … So the one God, who … stabilized us to defeat the Soviet empire, is capable of sustaining us again and of allowing us to defeat America.”
Associated Press. Bin Laden: Goal is to Bankrupt U.S. Retrieved February 16, 2009 from [Source]
These statements tell us something important about the enemy: Although Bin Laden has many skilled bomb-makers and propagandists working for him, he lacks a single competent economist. Yes, the 9/11 attacks did cost America billions of dollars, but our resilient free-market economy replaced every lost job within a few years. We would similarly recover from any other attack Al Qaeda might pull off.
But the terrorists don’t have to be right to be emboldened. Clearly the daily news reports of our economic turmoil feed into Bin Laden’s deep-seated belief that America is teetering on the economic brink, and that with one big push, we can be forced into collapse. The financial crisis can only be serving to convince Al Qaeda that the time to strike America is now.
Fortunately, we have some factors working in our favor. The enemy has been weakened by our seven-year offensive against them. Our military removed Al Qaeda’s haven in Afghanistan in 2001. With the “surge,” we drove Al Qaeda from the new sanctuaries it had established in Iraq. And over the last year, America has put increasing pressure on Al Qaeda in its Pakistani stronghold. At least five of Al Qaeda’s top operational planners met their end in that country in 2008, culminating on Jan. 1 when Usama al-Kini, Al Qaeda’s chief of operations in Pakistan, and his lieutenant, Sheikh Ahmed Salim Swedan, were killed. This is the highest pace of strikes against senior Al Qaeda operational planners since the war on terrorism began.
Another factor working in our favor is the severity of the 9/11 attacks. In striking the Twin Towers and the Pentagon, Al Qaeda set an extremely high bar for itself. If it launched an attack that did not meet that bar, it would be seen as a sign of weakness. This is likely why we have not seen smaller-scale attacks on shopping malls and other “soft” targets during the last seven years. By contrast, this also means that, whatever the terrorists are now planning, it likely will be on a scale to equal, or even dwarf, the attacks of 9/11, and most likely it may involve nuclear attacks. When the Obama administration assumed office, Vice-President Joe Biden was in talks with senior intelligence advisors regarding a possible nuclear attack in the next 2 to 5 years on the American homeland. This again relates to Bin Laden’s overall plan to “totter away” the superpower of America.
Al Qaeda’s failure to strike America after seven years creates pressure on the terrorists to act. The lack of another catastrophic attack on the United States, combined with the massive defeat terrorists have suffered in Iraq, sends a message to the Muslim world that Al Qaeda is losing its war with America. The terrorists need to pull off something spectacular to prove that they are still a force and a threat. Al Qaeda’s growing desperation to strike America, and our perceived growing vulnerability, are a dangerous combination.
All this means that now is no time for President Obama to begin dismantling the institutions President Bush put in place to keep America safe. Obama needs to recognize that, at this moment, somewhere in the world, the terrorists are watching the economic turmoil in our country, and planning an attack they believe will bring our economy to its knees. In the face of this danger, America must not let down its guard.
My name is Craig Stafford, the founder of the U.S. International Intelligence Blog here on WordPress.com. It’s a pleasure being able to develop a blog of such interest and importance to the world we live in today. Here we will keep you abreast to current events on the international stage of major countries and give readers the opportunity to express their beliefs, concerns and feelings towards daily world issues that affect the world stage.
Our newly elected president, Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th president of the United States on January 20th, 2009, and his new administration officially rose to power. Millions of Americans have powered President Obama’s journey to the White House, many taking advantage of the internet to play a role in shaping our country’s future. USIntel.Wordpress.com will follow along with the beginning of the new administration’s efforts to expand and deepen this online engagement to inform American citizens of what we face as a nation.
Since September 11th, 2001, the United States and the world have drastically changed in the way each nation operates and responds to threats. The attacks lead to significant and widespread changes in U.S. politics and foreign policy, and domestically, both political parties rallied around President George W. Bush after the attacks, passing the Patriot Act and supporting the war in Afghanistan. It also lead to the development of the Department of Homeland Security charged with protecting the territory of the United States from terrorist attacks and responding to natural disasters. Thankfully, after the September 11th attacks, our nation has been safer and we have not had a single terrorist attack since that day. Today, to ensure that we prevent future attacks, The Department of Homeland Security advise citizens to be vigilant, take notice of your surroundings, and report suspicious items or activities to local authorities immediately.
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