HOME :: PUBLICATIONS :: Polish-U.S. Missile Defense Deal Makes Sense, by JAMES JAY CARAFANO, PHD

Polish-U.S. Missile Defense Deal Makes Sense

by JAMES JAY CARAFANO, PHD August 18, 2008
It is widely reported in the world press that the United States and Poland have agreed on terms for deploying ballistic missile interceptors in the East European country. The interceptors would work in conjunction with radars that will be deployed in the Czech Republic (the result of another agreement announced earlier this year). Together, they will comprise a ground-based missile defense system that would be able to shoot-down a limited number of ballistic missiles launched from Iran at targets in Europe or North America. This latest agreement is in the best interest of all the members of NATO on both sides of the Atlantic. (In fact, NATO has already endorsed the concept.) Congress should fully support deployment of the Western European ballistic missile defense shield.
 
Just in Time
 
There are two reasons why the Polish-American deal is the right answer. The first is that it will serve to deter a nascent Iranian ballistic missile threat. While intelligence experts disagree on the full extent of Iranian capabilities, most do not think Iran can today field a missile that could reach deep into Europe or North America. Some estimate that Iran could achieve that goal (including a nuclear warhead to tip the missile) in a few years. For that reason alone, the U.S.-Poland deal comes none too soon. At best, it looks like the whole system might be in place by 2013. By some estimates, an Iranian threat might be well advanced by then.
 
Perhaps the deployment of land- and sea-based missile defenses that can protect Europe against limited attacks, coupled with economic and diplomatic isolation, will convince the Iranian government that even if they develop a missile threat, in military terms it will offer them little of practical value. When this defense is coupled with the nuclear and conventional capabilities of NATO, the Iranians might realize that the ability of the West to protect and defend itself is not worth threatening. Perhaps they will, as other countries have done (including Brazil, South Africa, and Libya) abandon their nuclear ambitions. But even if they don't, Europe and the United States will have strategic and conventional forces that are equal to the task of preventing Iran from threatening anyone.
 
Sending a Message
 
The second reason why a deal between Washington and Warsaw is the right thing to do concerns Russia. Russia has adamantly opposed the land-based missile defense deployments in Europe and even hinted at retaliation for risking their displeasure. Moscow knows that the missile defense system that is planned is no threat to them; Russia has more than enough ballistic missiles to overwhelm any planned missile defenses. Still, they have done much to pressure European countries to back away from international cooperation on missile defense. The decisions by Poland and the Czech Republic show that they are willing to stand up to Russian intransigence. The Polish decision is particularly courageous in light of the Russian military incursion into Georgia last week. It would have been easy for Poland to back away from the deal, which had dragged on for an inordinate amount of time, leading many observers to predict the deployments would never happen. Poland giving into Russian demands, along with an apparently effortless military triumph in Georgia, would have left Moscow seeing itself as a new geostrategic force to be reckoned with across Europe and Asia.
 
By choosing to make a deal now, however, Poland is sending exactly the opposite signal--that it will not kowtow to Russian demands that make no sense. Likewise, in moving forward the United States and its NATO partners (including Poland) are sending a message that they take both the Iranian threat and Russian posturing seriously--and that they are prepared to take a stand against both.
 
Indeed, Poland's quick action to conclude the deal in the wake of the invasion of Georgia--as well as the strong support for Georgia shown by Poland and the other Eastern European countries who suffered for so long under the yoke of Soviet oppression--may help convince the Russians that their disproportionate military action was a serious miscalculation. Rather than the attack on Georgia raising Russia's stature as strategic power, Moscow might find itself more isolated than ever from the West--a high price to pay for its belligerent behavior.
 
Opportunity's Child
 
Congress now has an opportunity to strengthen the security of the NATO alliance and all its members by encouraging quick action on the plans to deploy land- and sea-based missile defenses in Europe. Congress should:
 
  • Agree on a "sense of the Congress" endorsing the rapid deployment of missile defenses in Europe;
 
  • Restore the cuts made to the Administration's annual appropriation request for missile defense programs.
 
The current deal with Poland may be only a child of fortune, made possible by the sudden turn of events in Georgia. Nevertheless, it has the opportunity to become something much more than just a reaction to Russia's egregious actions. Perhaps it will help serve as wake-up call for NATO. Freedom, safety, and prosperity can never be taken for granted. NATO must be revitalized and its military strength restored, leaving no uncertainty that the alliance can and will defend the sovereignty of its members against external threats.
 
FamilySecurityMatters.org Contributing Editor James Jay Carafano, Ph.D., is a leading expert in defense affaires, intelligence, military operations and strategy, and homeland security at the Heritage Foundation. Feedback: editorialdirector@familysecuritymatters.org.

James Carafano is a leading expert in defense affairs, intelligence, military operations and strategy, and homeland security at The Heritage Foundation. He was an Assistant Professor at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., and fleet professor at the U.S. Naval War College. Carafano is the author of several military history books and studies. Carafano also is the coauthor of Winning the Long War: Lessons from the Cold War for Defeating Terrorism and Preserving Freedom; coauthor of the text book, Homeland Security published by McGraw-Hill; and the principal author of Emergency Responders: Drastically Underfunded, Dangerously Unprepared. He has testified before the U.S. Congress and has provided commentary for ABC, BBC, CBS, CNBC, CNN, C-SPAN, Fox News, MSNBC, NBC, SkyNews, PBS, National Public Radio, the History Channel, Voice of America, Al Jazeera, Telemundo, Al Arabiya and Australian, Austrian, Canadian, French, Greek, Hong Kong, Irish, Japanese, Portuguese, and Spanish television. His editorials have appeared in newspapers nationwide including The Baltimore Sun, The Boston Globe, The New York Post, Philadelphia Inquirer, USA Today and The Washington Times. Carafano is a member of the National Academy's Board on Army Science and Technology, the Department of the Army Historical Advisory Committee, and is a Senior Fellow at the George Washington University's Homeland Security Policy Institute.

Archives Pre-May 8, 2008: Please click here


blog comments powered by Disqus

Ky. primary has Barack Obama doing battle with a phantom; Let the mockage begin!

May 22, 2012  07:50 PM

Vote-counting for the Kentucky primary is underway, and Obama is leading among preferred Democratic presidential candidates. But ah, ah, ah … not so fast there, Barack. Looks like not everything’s comin’ up roses in the Bluegrass State. ONE FOR UNDECIDED: Bath County, Kentucky Democrats take "Undecided" over President Obama by 725-715 votes— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) [...]

War on women: S.C. AFL-CIO President violently smashing Nikki Haley effigy, no regrets; Update: I stand with Haley

May 22, 2012  04:29 PM

The South Carolina AFL-CIO president is on video beating an effigy of Governor Nikki Haley with a bat. War on women, indeed, and it comes from the Left as always. To Leftist thugs and union goons, she was asking for it, you see. That "uppity" woman won't keep her mouth shut and all. Scratch a Leftist and you will find not only a misogynist, but a racist.

Media still covering for no Biden access for press, blame Romney

May 22, 2012  03:39 PM

Media bias alert! RT @zekejmiller: Worth noting, given Romney flap last week, press not given rope-line access to Biden event here in NH— Sarah Huisenga (@SarahH_CBSNJ) May 22, 2012 Um. After the “Romney flap?” You mean the “flap” that the media breathlessly and endlessly reported all while ignoring the fact that reporters were shooed off [...]

Biden, Obama's bane, on Bain: ‘Making money is their job and legitimate'; Update: Also insults plumbers

May 22, 2012  03:08 PM

I'll see your Cory Booker and raise you a Joe Biden.— David Freddoso (@freddoso) May 22, 2012 Rut roh! Shall we add him to “hostage watch?“ Biden: When Bain companies failed, it cost taxpayers money in unemployment insurance, pension costs.— Mike Memoli (@mikememoli) May 22, 2012 Uh. When they are “too big to fail” and [...]

Dan Savage: Marriage is make-believe just like BDSM

May 22, 2012  02:46 PM

That oh-so-deep thought on marriage was a followup to Savage’s 140 character thoughts on BDSM: Some BDSMers take BDSM very, very seriously, of course, and strive to make it as real as possible. But it's still make-believe.— Dan Savage (@fakedansavage) May 22, 2012 And I respect BDSMers who take it seriously. They're fucking hot. xo— [...]

FSM Archives

  FSM Archive   Search Must Reads
More in PUBLICATIONS ( 1 OF 25 ARTICLES )