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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Gates responds to missile critics | Gates responds to missile critics |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has rejected the claim that a decision to shelve a plan for missile defence in Europe was a concession to Russia. | |
| Writing in the New York Times, Mr Gates said Russia's attitude "played no part" in his recommendation to President Barack Obama to drop the plan. | Writing in the New York Times, Mr Gates said Russia's attitude "played no part" in his recommendation to President Barack Obama to drop the plan. |
| Mr Gates said the aim was to deal with potential threats from Iran. | Mr Gates said the aim was to deal with potential threats from Iran. |
| A new system will be able to provide such a defence sooner and more effectively, he said. | A new system will be able to provide such a defence sooner and more effectively, he said. |
| Under the original plan, the US signed a deal in August 2008 with Poland to site 10 interceptors at a base near the Baltic Sea, and with the Czech Republic to build a radar station on its territory. | Under the original plan, the US signed a deal in August 2008 with Poland to site 10 interceptors at a base near the Baltic Sea, and with the Czech Republic to build a radar station on its territory. |
| Russia, which had always seen that plan as a threat, welcomed the decision to abandon it. | Russia, which had always seen that plan as a threat, welcomed the decision to abandon it. |
| However, there has been criticism of the decision in conservative circles in the US. | However, there has been criticism of the decision in conservative circles in the US. |
| 'Greater flexibility' | 'Greater flexibility' |
| Mr Gates, a Republican who also served as defence secretary during George W Bush's final years as president, described initially recommending the missile defence plan in late 2006. | Mr Gates, a Republican who also served as defence secretary during George W Bush's final years as president, described initially recommending the missile defence plan in late 2006. |
| "At the time, it was the best plan based on the technology and threat assessment available," he said. | "At the time, it was the best plan based on the technology and threat assessment available," he said. |
| I have found since taking this post that when it comes to missile defence, some hold a view bordering on theology Robert Gates | I have found since taking this post that when it comes to missile defence, some hold a view bordering on theology Robert Gates |
| But he said the system, designed to deal with long-range missiles, would not have been installed before 2017, and that a new system announced by President Obama this week would provide better protection. | But he said the system, designed to deal with long-range missiles, would not have been installed before 2017, and that a new system announced by President Obama this week would provide better protection. |
| He said this system, which would use sea and land-based interceptors, "actually provides us with greater flexibility to adapt as new threats develop and old ones recede". | He said this system, which would use sea and land-based interceptors, "actually provides us with greater flexibility to adapt as new threats develop and old ones recede". |
| "This will be a far more effective defence should an enemy fire many missiles simultaneously the kind of attack most likely to occur as Iran continues to build and deploy numerous short- and medium-range weapons." | "This will be a far more effective defence should an enemy fire many missiles simultaneously the kind of attack most likely to occur as Iran continues to build and deploy numerous short- and medium-range weapons." |
| Mr Gates rejected the idea that Russia's opposition to the original missile defence plan played a part in the policy change. | Mr Gates rejected the idea that Russia's opposition to the original missile defence plan played a part in the policy change. |
| He added: "Of course, considering Russia's past hostility toward American missile defence in Europe, if Russia's leaders embrace this plan, then that will be an unexpected and welcome change of policy on their part." | He added: "Of course, considering Russia's past hostility toward American missile defence in Europe, if Russia's leaders embrace this plan, then that will be an unexpected and welcome change of policy on their part." |
| He said the decision to drop the initial plan was a "pragmatic" one, scolding those who he said provided a "devoted following" to missile defence plans that were "unworkable, prohibitively expensive and could never be practically deployed". | He said the decision to drop the initial plan was a "pragmatic" one, scolding those who he said provided a "devoted following" to missile defence plans that were "unworkable, prohibitively expensive and could never be practically deployed". |
| "I have found since taking this post that when it comes to missile defence, some hold a view bordering on theology that regards any change of plans or any cancellation of a program as abandonment or even breaking faith," he said. | "I have found since taking this post that when it comes to missile defence, some hold a view bordering on theology that regards any change of plans or any cancellation of a program as abandonment or even breaking faith," he said. |
| Ground-based system | Ground-based system |
| Sea-based system | Sea-based system |
| Intercontinental missile ranges | Intercontinental missile ranges |