Building Poland's Missile Defense Base May Be Delayed
Classified Polnews
Building the controversial missle defense system for Europe, part of which is planned to be built in Poland, may be delayed by the US Congress if it agrees with the decision of a Senate panel to reduce funding. Such a cut may affect the Polish Government's plans.
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Some members of Congress do not think that it is worth upsetting Russia to build a system in to defend Europe. Others are concerned about spending money on an unproven system. Senate panel reduces missile funding
During its continuing campaign against the system as a threat to Russia, Russia announced the deployment of a new missile that they claim can avoid any interceptor.
The proposed defensive system is a kinetic system that must approach its target from the front. It is not designed to chase an outgoing missile and hit it from behind. And if the new Russian missile system is as advertised and can evade any interceptor, it cannot stop this new missile.
Though the US Government is reported to have told NATO allies that the interceptors cannot catch outgoing Russian missiles, a recent study has concluded otherwise. Physicists Question US on Missile Plan
The system planned for Poland consists of 10 interceptors. The Russian's claim that these 10 interceptors are a threat to their hundreds of missiles. And in light of the fact that their new missile that can evade any interceptor must have taken years to develop, they probably include this new missile as one that can be threatened by the current 10 interceptors or their postulated future upgrade of the interceptor system.
Secretary of State Rice considers Russia's objections "ludicrous." See Russian Objection To Polish Missiles Is Fear
Some of the reasoning behind the funding cut shows that some in the US are willing to publicly say that keeping good relations with Russia is more important than trying to defend Europe.
And if the European population is against the US putting up a defensive system, why should the US taxpayer be forced to pay for a system that people do not want?
Whether this portends a change in US policy toward European defense in general remains to be seen.
The proposal in Congress is currently to reduce funding. It is not to stop the program. Full funding can be restored at any time.
But the cut sends a signal that Europeans may be less important to some American politicians than Russians. And it may signal that the US Congress is not interested in paying
