NYC Letter: Trust Team Barry, Part XI

Day 240 of CHOPE

Seventy years ago today, Russia, in alliance with the Third Reich, invaded Poland. Mr. Obama used the occasion to reassure Poland that today's America is every bit as reliable as yesterday's France.

[Hat tip: Carine]

DUMB "SMART" POWER
The Real Smarties, The Russians

Spot art text reads:

Mr. Obama: DEAL!
Mr. Medvedev: MORON!
Diagonal Banner: Donkeys Don't Have The Kick Of The Dragon.
Bottom Banner: The End Of Mickey Mouse

U.S. CHANGES COURSE ON
EASTERN EUROPEAN NUCLEAR-MISSILE SHIELD
Obama Says Redesign To Strengthen America's Defenses

WASHINGTON September 17, 2009 (WSJ) - The White House is scrapping a Bush-era plan for an Eastern European missile-defense shield, saying a redesigned defensive system would be cheaper, quicker and more effective against the threat from Iranian missiles.

"After an extensive process, I have approved the unanimous recommendations of my secretary of defense and my joint chiefs of staff to strengthen America's defenses against ballistic-missile attack," President Barack Obama said in an announcement Thursday morning.

... "The Bush plans on the missile defense as we knew them until now were nothing more than a provocation of security in the European region," said Dmitry Rogozin, Russia's ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, in a phone interview.

... Russia on Thursday welcomed the news but said it saw no reason to offer concessions in return. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev called the plan a "responsible move." He threatened last November to station tactical Iskander missiles on Poland's border if the U.S. system was deployed.

BARACK OBAMA'S MISSILE SHIELD DECISION
WILL BE CHEERED IN RUSSIA

September 17, 2009 (Telegraph) - The climb-down undoubtedly does represent a significant strategic victory for the Kremlin. It also gives substance to Washington's so far woolly "reset" of relations with Russia, and will go a long way to soothe wounded Russian egos.

... Russia effectively staked its entire bilateral relationship with the US on the dispute in a high stakes game of poker that appears to have paid off. At a time when Moscow obviously needs to be more flexible itself, there must be concerns that it will be tempted to resort to the same successful hardball tactics again.

... Many politicians in the missile shield's putative host countries – Poland and the Czech Republic – will undoubtedly feel jilted and let down by Washington. Former Soviet bloc countries had already begun to voice concerns that Washington's vaunted reset of relations with Moscow would come at their expense. For many, this move is likely to be seen as a disappointing confirmation of that.

Oops. Looks like Team Barry forgot to brace our allies for the bad news.

ANGER IN EUROPE AS BARACK OBAMA
'SCRAPS MISSILE DEFENCE SHIELD'

September 17, 2009 (Telegraph) - Former Czech prime minister, Mirek Topolanek:

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.

WHAT WILL OBAMA GET BACK FROM RUSSIA
AFTER DITCHING MISSILE DEFENCE?

September 17, 2009 (Times Online) - [Mr. Putin's] implacable opposition to the project has paid off, leaving the Kremlin emboldened in its drive to re-establish a strategic “sphere of privileged interests” over Russia’s former Soviet satellites.

By trading the loyalty of Poland and the Czech Republic to satisfy Russia’s security concerns, the United States is signalling that it no longer contests Moscow’s right to assert its interests in Eastern Europe.

The Kremlin can barely believe its good fortune. Mr Obama has pressed the “reset” button to improve relations without obtaining anything more than permission for US aircraft to cross Russian airspace on resupply operations for troops in Afghanistan.

... But the big question remains over what to do about Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Russia has shown no inclination to budge on its refusal to support further sanctions against Tehran, nor has it cancelled a contract to sell S-300 air-defence missiles to the Islamic republic.

... Russia has argued consistently that Iran presents no current threat and that the missile shield, consisting of a radar in the Czech Republic and 10 interceptor missiles in Poland, compromised its own national security. By cancelling the project, Mr Obama appears to have accepted both arguments. ... Moscow may become more intransigent, arguing that Washington itself no longer takes the threat as seriously as it did by cancelling the missile-defence shield.

The plain answer to the above headline is -- zilch. As in nothing. [Pause.] Let us assume that, on the technical merits, the Obama missile defense is superior to the Bush missile defense. Why abandon the high-profile Bush defense before the Obama defense is deployable? The Bush defense was a negotiating plum. Why has Mr. Obama handed it up to Mr. Putin, gratis?

Team Barry is discovering that beyond its adoring domestic press, the world press is not selling its "strengthen America's defenses" spin. Instead, Mr. Obama is seen as politically inept and tone-deaf, and America is depicted as parochial, timid, and unreliable. Beyond any techincal assessments, Mr. Obama's timing and back-channel botch has diminished America's standing among our staunchiest allies while vindicating Russia's roughneck diplomacy and boosting its status before the world. The world follows winners. Losers fall in line.

[Long sigh.]

Today's post is dedicated to correspondent Janina, Polish patriot, whose boundless support for and optimism about America has been betrayed -- but not shaken.

CHOPE.

Poseys, not missiles.

Posted by Damian at September 17, 2009 11:45 PM