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Gates responds to missile critics Obama rejects Russia missile link
(about 9 hours 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. The US president says his decision to shelve a missile defence plan was not dictated by Russian opposition.
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. "The Russians don't make determinations about what our defence posture is," Barack Obama told CBS television.
Mr Gates said the aim was to deal with potential threats from Iran. "If the by-product of it is that the Russians feel a little less paranoid... then that's a bonus," Mr Obama said.
A new system will be able to provide such a defence sooner and more effectively, he said. US conservatives have criticised the decision to scrap the plan to deploy interceptor missiles in Poland and a radar station in the Czech Republic.
Mr Obama's predecessor, George W Bush, had argued that the system was necessary to deal with potential threats from Iran.
Moscow said it was aimed against Russia, and has welcomed the US decision to abandon it.
Russia had always been paranoid about this, but George Bush was right. This wasn't a threat to them President Obama
Mr Obama's plan is to replace it with a defence system using sea and land-based interceptors.
Asked on the CBS's Face the Nation programme, Mr Obama said: "My task here was not to negotiate with the Russians."
"Russia had always been paranoid about this, but George Bush was right. This wasn't a threat to them," Mr Obama said.
He added that the replacement plan would not be a threat to Russia, either.
The US leader said it would be a bonus if the Russians were "now willing to work more effectively with us to deal with threats like ballistic missiles from Iran or nuclear development in Iran".
'Better' protection
Writing in the New York Times earlier, Mr Obama's Defence Secretary Robert Gates said Russia's attitude had "played no part" in his recommendation to President Obama to drop the plan.
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.
However, there has been criticism of the decision in conservative circles in the US.
'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.
"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 GatesI 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. 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. 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." Iran has held regular tests of its long-range missiles
Mr Gates rejected the idea that Russia's opposition to the original missile defence plan played a part in the policy change. Mr Gates 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 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".
"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 systemGround-based system
Under the system proposed by former president Bush, ground-based defence missiles would have been sited in Poland and a radar system to detect enemy missiles installed at Brdy in the Czech Republic. Iran's Shahab-3 missile is thought to have a maximum range of 2,000km.
Under the system proposed by former president Bush, ground-based defence missiles would have been sited in Poland and a radar system to detect enemy missiles installed at Brdy in the Czech Republic. Iran's Shahab-3 missile is thought to have a maximum range of 2,000km.
Sea-based systemSea-based system
President Barack Obama has shelved plans to site interceptor missiles in Poland. Instead the Aegis and Standard Missile-3 systems will be deployed on US warships based in the Mediterranean, with mobile land-based variants to follow by 2015.
President Barack Obama has shelved plans to site interceptor missiles in Poland. Instead the Aegis and Standard Missile-3 systems will be deployed on US warships based in the Mediterranean, with mobile land-based variants to follow by 2015.
Intercontinental missile rangesIntercontinental missile ranges
The US has developed missile defence sites in California and Alaska as a deterrent to North Korea, which has unsuccessfully tested a 10,000 km range missile the Taepodong-2. Of the US's strategic rivals, Russia has the longest range missile, the SS-18.
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The US has developed missile defence sites in California and Alaska as a deterrent to North Korea, which has unsuccessfully tested a 10,000 km range missile the Taepodong-2. Of the US's strategic rivals, Russia has the longest range missile, the SS-18.
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