Obama to Russia: Stop Iran and we’ll scrap missile defense in Europe
posted at 11:54 am on July 9, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
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Many of us worried that Barack Obama would give away missile defense in Eastern Europe for nothing at all, save a photo op with Vladimir Putin and a chance to proclaim peace in our time. After signing a meaningless warhead-reduction treaty with Putin and Dmitry Medvedev, though, Obama remained firm on missile defense. He told a graduating class from Moscow’s New Economic School that if Russia stopped Iran from building nuclear weapons, we’d rethink the need for the missile defense system:
President Obama today offered to scrap plans for a missile defence shield in Eastern Europe if Russia helped to stop Iran developing a nuclear bomb. …
Russia strongly opposes US plans to site the missile shield in Poland and the Czech Republic, which Washington says is necessary to defend against a surprise attack from Iran. Mr Obama made clear that he was willing to strike a deal with the Kremlin.
“I know Russia opposes the planned configuration for missile defence in Europe . . . I have made it clear that this system is directed at preventing a potential attack from Iran and has nothing to do with Russia,” Mr Obama said in a speech to students graduating from Moscow’s New Economic School.
“I want us to work together on a missile defence architecture that makes us all safer. But if the threat from Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes is eliminated, the driving force for missile defence in Europe will be eliminated. That is in our mutual interest.”
That would not be a bad trade. Russia has paid lip service to non-proliferation in Iran, but has also helped build Tehran’s nuclear infrastructure. Russia has routinely blocked tougher sanctions against the mullahs at the UN Security Council, along with China, and has made it almost impossible for the West to gain enough leverage to stop the Iranian bomb. Russia has returned to the Great Game in that region, a play for power interrupted only in name by the communist era in Moscow.
Note how Obama put the Russians in a corner, rhetorically speaking, by the way he put this. Obama made the trade contingent on the end of Iranian nukes, not just a switch in the Security Council on Russia’s part alone. To the extent that the UNSC can do anything at all now to stop the mullahs from getting nukes — and that window has almost surely passed — Russia would also have to get China to stop protecting Iran with its veto and show that it succeeded in halting the Iranian nuclear-weapons program. Not just the nuclear program, either, but also the ballistic missiles.
It’s another way of saying that missile defense in eastern Europe won’t be disappearing any time soon. And that’s a surprisingly good show from a President who’s shown more appeasement than spine thus far in his administration.
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key word “state owned companies”
There are absolutely ZERO Russian government officials on the ground at nuke sites in Iran. The same cannot be said for North Korea and Iran and vice versa. They have no nuke companies. It is all direct government involvement.
Open and transparent nuclear technology partnership is fine. But weaponizing uranium and kicking out inspectors and regulators is a clear signal that the Russians had no control over.
Accept the fact that Obama is wrong, as usual. Ed is wrong, as is becoming more and more frequent. And you are wrong, because Russia has absolutely zero influence on whether Iran gets the bomb.
Only influence Russia has is how well their weapon systems perform when defending those sites from a massive aerial assault which the window is about 90 percent closed on anyways.
dip it in cider on July 9, 2009 at 1:06 PM
Many here seem to see this as Obama shafting our allies and helping our enemies. Makes sense to me.
JiangxiDad on July 9, 2009 at 1:06 PM
Always fun to see how Russian propaganda plays on HotAir. Thanks.
runner on July 9, 2009 at 1:07 PM
I don’t understand. How does this devalue the dollar? It must, because everything Obama has done so far helps to devalue the dollar.
aero on July 9, 2009 at 1:08 PM
Mark Steyn said it best, Obama could care less about foreign policy…if $hit hits the fan, he will be forced to pause his Socialist wet dream domestically and deal with it, so he will do his best not to ruffle feathers so he can keep bending over the American people. Check his track record.
Do not forget this.
javamartini on July 9, 2009 at 1:08 PM
Oh yeah didn’t the UN technically give the groundwork for the invasion in the 90s, but vote against the war in 03?
Bush only cited the UN as appeasement to the hopelessly romantic UN lovers such as yourself amerpundit.
It confused them, as I see it confused you.
dip it in cider on July 9, 2009 at 1:09 PM
They won’t stop Iran, but (as one poster put it) give lip service…so we will drop the defense, and Iran will continue, as Russia looks the other way…no wait, they will publicly say they do not approve, maybe even using “terse” language. With a nod and an wink.
right2bright on July 9, 2009 at 1:09 PM
If you think I am spreading Russian propaganda you need to carefully re-read my statements.
dip it in cider on July 9, 2009 at 1:12 PM
Meh! He got his marching orders from his Saudi overlords who are freaked about Iran having nukes.
promachus on July 9, 2009 at 1:13 PM
Okey dokey. So the people building the facilities and advising the Iranians are government employees and the companies building the facilities and advising the Iranians are government-run. Meanwhile, the official government-run Russian space program is advising on ballistic missiles designed to carry weapon payloads.
But the Russian government clearly has no control over the situation.
As runner says, it’s nice to see Russian propaganda on Hot Air. “The Russians are not there,” Hot Air Hector says.
amerpundit on July 9, 2009 at 1:14 PM
Hey runner, better take a course in reading comprehension…then come back and post.
right2bright on July 9, 2009 at 1:14 PM
We have to steer clear of the “subtle racism of lowered expections” here, people.
Just because Obama didn’t immediately agree to completely dismantle our defense network doesn’t mean he deserves to be let off the hook for the gigantic amount of crap he DID say during this trip. I count at least a dozen fully-qualified Obamateurisms in this one speech alone.
It’s OK to mention this one lapse (or one failure to lapse, depending on how you look at it) solely for its novelty. But don’t let it take your eye off the ball even for a second.
logis on July 9, 2009 at 1:16 PM
‘Bout time for a new ABM treaty. I guess the U.S. didn’t give up enough of her defensive capabilities through the original and Barry knows that something must be done!
What makes these other countries uncomfortable and causes them to bitch and moan is exactly what we need to keep on doing.
Reagan got it. Cruise missiles, neutron bombs, SDI, etc.
Dr. ZhivBlago on July 9, 2009 at 1:16 PM
of course not,dear; and all those critics of the Putin/Medvedev regime are gunned down by absolutely random violence, by random thugs with ZERO connection to the Russian government…
runner on July 9, 2009 at 1:16 PM
how gave you permission to address me ?
runner on July 9, 2009 at 1:19 PM
One major error you made was saying we were as complicit as Russia…which is a farce.
The Russian Gov. does know what is going on, it is just controlled by there industrial complex, which is basically a crime mob.
Russian doesn’t have any control over these “business men”, but you confuse the words business men in Russia, with our Business men, two totally different species.
You can’t compare our political system to Russia’s…so when you say it isn’t Russian gov. employees, but “business men”, the lines are different over there then here.
Many of the roles are reversed, the politicians explicitly work for the business men. So basically, you have a group that is a level above the gov. working in Iran.
Then they come back and tell the politicians what they want and need.
right2bright on July 9, 2009 at 1:21 PM
Do you mean “who”?
By you posting, you initiate communication with everyone on this site…you didn’t know that?
This is an open site and any posting can be responded to?
But basically Michell Malkin gave me permission…who gave you permission to address me?
right2bright on July 9, 2009 at 1:23 PM
Do you really think Russia can afford politically to have government officials prancing around Iranian facilities with Ahmadenijihad.
The Russian govt is based on greed at this point in time. It is business and little else to the Russians.
Russia is the military industrial complex dream world. And that complex is mostly civilian businsessmen, in the US, Russia, globally.
dip it in cider on July 9, 2009 at 1:24 PM
Please, as a resident/native of Alabama and a graduate of the University of Alabama, I must insist you not refer to The One by “Bama.” We have enough problems without the additional negative perception such usage would certainly bring my state and my school.
anglee99 on July 9, 2009 at 1:24 PM
***
President Obama (PBUH) continues the APOLOGY TOUR” and gets nothing in return. Nuclear weapons kept the U.S.A. and Western Union safe against the 10 to 1 ground force advantage the Russkies had during the cold war. They were pretty strong in tanks–3 to 1 over us–and about even in Navy and Air Force strength.
***
I always thought he was JIMMY CARTER II. Now he makes Jimmy Peanut look like Ronald Reagan by comparison. The MESSIAH IS NEVILLE CHAMBERLAIN II. Russia only understands HARD POWER. The whole world knows that they can roll THE ONE anytime they want. Hitler came to the same conclusion prior to WW2–with 50 million dead as the result.
***
Rocketman
***
rocketman on July 9, 2009 at 1:24 PM
Please bear in mind that Obama delivered these lines not to politicians but to a class of economics students.
He’s said plenty of other things he patently didn’t mean- so, Ed, don’t get your hopes up that he won’t just ditch missile defence in return for nothing. Ig anything does develop from this, knowing the Russians they’ll demand he kills the program before they talk to Iran.
“That dumb American wants you to stop building nukes…no?…Oh, okay then.”
Jay Mac on July 9, 2009 at 1:25 PM
Clearly they can’t. That’s why there are pictures and news articles on the head of Russia’s state nuclear company visiting Iranian nuclear facilities.
amerpundit on July 9, 2009 at 1:30 PM
The problem is many conception of the word “businessmen”, it is more closely aligned to the word mobster (which is I guess also a “businessmen”).
But there is no other word, so it is Russian businessmen, which we have both pointed out is a different animal to what we think or define.
A politician here can be in the hip pocket of a business, but if he turns against them he loses support and money…in Russia, you disappear, you just don’t do that, they are ruthless killers.
right2bright on July 9, 2009 at 1:30 PM
Please, as a resident/native of Alabama and a graduate of the University of Alabama, I must insist you not refer to The One by “Bama.” We have enough problems without the additional negative perception such usage would certainly bring my state and my school.
anglee99 on July 9, 2009 at 1:24 PM
LOL!
LSUMama on July 9, 2009 at 1:31 PM
Obama to Russia: Stop Iran and we’ll scrap missile defense in Europe.
Reagan would have said: Stop Iran, or we will.
aero on July 9, 2009 at 1:31 PM
You seem a little bothered by a proposition that the Russian government is involved with iran’s nuclear program and that their attempt in trying to avoid responsibility with an old and unsuccessful (propaganda) ploy is transparent. The old ploy where they claim that is not them , but some imaginary private entities, and have absolutely no control over what is going on. Just like the murder of the regime’s enemies in Russia and abroad, the kremlin has a firm grip on everything, especially something so sensitive as nuclear construction and fuel.
runner on July 9, 2009 at 1:32 PM
Exactly, not a politician, but a “business man” from the state run, business.
That is why the word “business man” is so confusing…business and state, business man and politician, who is on first?
right2bright on July 9, 2009 at 1:33 PM
Exactly…”Tear down that wall”…
right2bright on July 9, 2009 at 1:33 PM
Yes, but Reagan had a different employer than Obama.
btw, Biden is off to Georgia and Ukraine on the 20th. Should be interesting, to say the least.
JiangxiDad on July 9, 2009 at 1:34 PM
I should have added that this should have been Ed’s analysis imo.
JiangxiDad on July 9, 2009 at 1:34 PM
This is not a good deal in any way.
This is nothing less than Obama throwing some of our staunchest allies under the bus to cut a deal with a nation that has no intention whatsoever of honoring it.
-Dave
Dave R. on July 9, 2009 at 1:35 PM
Hopefully one day soon, Hawaii, Kenya, and Indonesia will also disown him.
JiangxiDad on July 9, 2009 at 1:36 PM
I know the difference in Russian and American businsessmen, hence the quotes.
I am sorry to say but yes the US has citizens in Iran helping them get the bomb both directly and indirectly, and in my eyes this is just as complicit as Russian or any other country’s involvement. And yes the US govt is well aware of these citizens.
Until an act of war is declared or open hostilities are started, anyone is free to go to Iran and make as much money as they want. Russian, American, Eritrean.
dip it in cider on July 9, 2009 at 1:36 PM
If you read what I posted, I am saying you can draw lines of distinction in America between business and Politics…but those same lines of distinction do not exist in Russia…the curse of socialism (among others).
So they can say politically one thing, and business does another, and what it wants.
That’s why Obama will fail, and why this is so foolish and naive.
The “government” will wag their finger at Iran…while someway continue their business dealings. They will not let millions of dollars in profits disappear, no politician has the power to coerce their businesses to give up those profits…but more importantly, no politician would want to.
right2bright on July 9, 2009 at 1:39 PM
Ed, when you’re done drooling over Obama’s “good show,” maybe you could help me understand how “remaining firm” means scrapping missile defense in Europe just because one out of a dozen hostile countries in the region might possibly kinda sorta stop building nukes for a while.
Ronnie on July 9, 2009 at 1:45 PM
Well, actually NO. There are trade sanction in place against Iran – enacted starting in 1980, continuing : 1995, 1997, 2000, 2008 etc. You should read them sometime.
runner on July 9, 2009 at 1:48 PM
There is a big difference between trade and contract work. Please get a clue.
dip it in cider on July 9, 2009 at 1:51 PM
Yeah he actually used that phrase, didn’t he?
Come on Ed, you’re doing this for a living now. Don’t say “surprisingly good show” when you mean to say “not as horrifically terrible as expected.”
Of course Obama didn’t actually DO anything that could be seen as in any way positive.
This may seem like a small detail, but it’s not. If you EVER give a liberal the benefit of the doubt, they win. That’s what their entire strategy depends on.
logis on July 9, 2009 at 1:54 PM
such as ?
runner on July 9, 2009 at 1:57 PM
Just more of the Obama two-step.
The Russkies know damn good and well Obama is not going to allow any real missile defense in Poland or anywhere else.
Obama has been saying missile defense is “unproven technology” and is cutting the funding for it.
What is more likely? That Obama has seen the error of his ways and has finally devided at this particular moment to assert a positive American attitude defiant towards the Russkies? Or that he is simply doing what he has always done – pay lip service to a problem hoping it will just go away?
With anyone else I might be willing to give the benefit of the doubt. But with Obama, it’s just so many words until and unless they are followed by real action.
The Russians have nothing to worry about.
catmman on July 9, 2009 at 2:03 PM
All right I will help you out. Current sanctions against Iran preclude any dealing with that country. Total embargo. That would include your “contract work”.
runner on July 9, 2009 at 2:07 PM
I always liked: “Bombing starts in 5 minutes”
Jeff from WI on July 9, 2009 at 2:10 PM
Retaking Georgia, Ukraine, Baltics, and E. Europe won’t be the same cakewalk it was after WWII. But you’re right, the Obama admin. won’t be the principle thing stopping them.
JiangxiDad on July 9, 2009 at 2:14 PM
The Russians must realize by now that all of Ochimpys promises come with an expiration date. Expect a counter move by the Russians that will put Ochimpy back where he is most comfortable.
Bent over waiting for it.
csdeven on July 9, 2009 at 2:16 PM
Has Russia in any of its incarnations kept one promise it has made with the West?
baldilocks on July 9, 2009 at 2:23 PM
Georgia on my mind.
JiangxiDad on July 9, 2009 at 2:24 PM
That’s weird. I personally know of at least 3 American citizens working in Iran as we speak.
Embargos consist of import/export trade of things like weapons.
Anybody can go to Iran and work to make money.
You are equating 2 completely unequal things.
dip it in cider on July 9, 2009 at 2:25 PM
Obama will never get anything out of the Russians…they know he’s a drip and will cave to any pressure at all.
AUINSC on July 9, 2009 at 2:30 PM
On help with Iran:
econavenger on July 9, 2009 at 3:31 PM
Ochimpy don’t care. Georgia is a red state.
Oh wait…there’s another Georgia?
csdeven on July 9, 2009 at 3:50 PM
Why is that Jiangxi?
Russia should be our #1 best ally..not the pansy secular western euro leftists.
Russia is the largest Christian nation in the world.
Russia is an Orthodox Christian nation.
Putin is an Orthodox convert and he has done a lot for the Orthodox in Russia,for Christian freedom and he has done alot in quelching the mohammedan invasion in Russia.
The USA is on the wrong side in those regions..the US under Clinton killed many brave Orthodox in Serbia and aided the islamic fanatics in taking over part of a historic Orthodox nation.
What are these western euro secularist “allies” of ours doing to quelch the mohammedan invasion in western europe?
Absolutely nothing.
Russia is not USSR and they are not our enemies unless we wrong them.
Anyone who thinks Russia is communist or an atheist nation is not in touch with reality and is living in the past.
MaximusConfessor on July 9, 2009 at 4:05 PM
I will increase my anxiety medication immediately…..A couple of extra shots of bourbon. Biden probably thinks he is going to the American southern states of Georgia and the Ukraine.
Hummmmm…….extra thought, July 20th will the 40th anniversary of the first Moon landing.
SC.Charlie on July 9, 2009 at 4:30 PM
Maximus,
Dude.
econavenger on July 9, 2009 at 4:38 PM
That guy said the Orthodox priests in America are soviet spies?
He is a shamless blasphemer and has probably never met a priest in his life.
Protestants who are familiar with Orthodoxy will tell you that the most immediately striking thing they notice is that there is a saintliness to Orthodox priests in general.
I know many Orthodox priests who are in fact bonafide Saints.
What that guy said was slander.
MaximusConfessor on July 9, 2009 at 4:48 PM
Hey, Obewon, stop Iran yourself and keep our missiles. The Rooskies have never kept a promise to anyone unless it’s “we will bury you”.
Kissmygrits on July 10, 2009 at 9:39 AM
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