U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates talks with NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer during a recent visit to Krakow, Poland, Feb. 20, 2009. DoD photo by U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jerry MorrisonFrom The Wall Street Journal:
KRAKOW, Poland -- Washington will take Russia into account when it decides on a European missile-defense plan, the U.S. defense secretary said Friday in comments welcomed by Moscow but certain to worry the former communist countries that agreed to host the system.
Robert Gates said at a meeting of NATO defense ministers in Krakow that President Barack Obama hasn't yet decided whether to carry through with a Bush administration-backed project to put missile-defense bases in Poland and the Czech Republic, a plan that outraged Russia.
Mr. Gates said Washington would review the plan "in the context of our relationship with both Poland and the Czech Republic, our relationship with the NATO alliance, the commitments we have made as members of the alliance in terms of European missile defense -- and also in the context of our relationship with the Russians."
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My Comment: The Russians are not going to respond to the U.S. request to stop assisting Iran in the development of nuclear technologies. As far as they are concern, missile defense systems in Europe and nuclear projects with Iran are two separate issues .... in fact, they believe that the Americans are unjustly concerned on what Russia perceives as legitimate business dealings with Iran.
This stance by Russia is already bearing fruit. The U.S. has already notified Poland that they want a suspension in the agreement for implementing these systems, and they are sending signals to their other allies that these systems will not be built. The Russians know this. The Poles know this. And the Iranians know this.
The focus of the Obama Administration will be to abdicate the multiparty talks with Iran, and to focus on a more one to one relationship. This is where this policy is going to fail. As much as they accused President Bush of following a unilateral approach towards world affairs, it is actually they who are pursuing such a policy.
And in regards to Iran .... this is going to fail.