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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Obama rejects Russia missile link | Obama rejects Russia missile link |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The US president says his decision to shelve a missile defence plan was not dictated by Russian opposition. | The US president says his decision to shelve a missile defence plan was not dictated by Russian opposition. |
| "The Russians don't make determinations about what our defence posture is," Barack Obama told CBS television. | "The Russians don't make determinations about what our defence posture is," Barack Obama told CBS television. |
| "If the by-product of it is that the Russians feel a little less paranoid... then that's a bonus," Mr Obama said. | "If the by-product of it is that the Russians feel a little less paranoid... then that's a bonus," Mr Obama 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. | 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. | Mr Obama's predecessor, George W Bush, had argued that the system was necessary to deal with potential threats from Iran. |
| MARDELL'S AMERICA The message is that Obama is still keeping his cool, and sticking to long-term goals Mark MardellBBC North America editor Mardell assesses Obama interviews | |
| Moscow said it was aimed against Russia, and has welcomed the US decision to abandon it. | Moscow said it was aimed against Russia, and has welcomed the US decision to abandon it. |
| Mr Obama's plan is to replace it with a defence system using sea and land-based interceptors. | Mr Obama's plan is to replace it with a defence system using sea and land-based interceptors. |
| In a series of wide-ranging interviews with US television networks on Sunday, Mr Obama also focused on: | In a series of wide-ranging interviews with US television networks on Sunday, Mr Obama also focused on: |
| • The economy: "I want to be clear, that probably the jobs picture is not going to improve considerably and it could even get a little bit worse over the next couple of months." - CNN's State of the Union. | • The economy: "I want to be clear, that probably the jobs picture is not going to improve considerably and it could even get a little bit worse over the next couple of months." - CNN's State of the Union. |
| • Healthcare: "About two-thirds of what we've proposed would be from money that's already in the healthcare system but just being spent badly. And as I said before, this is not me making wild assertions." - CBS's Face the Nation. | • Healthcare: "About two-thirds of what we've proposed would be from money that's already in the healthcare system but just being spent badly. And as I said before, this is not me making wild assertions." - CBS's Face the Nation. |
| Russia had always been paranoid about this, but George Bush was right. This wasn't a threat to them President Obama Race 'not behind health protests' Obama refuses to halt CIA probe | |
| • CIA interrogations: "I continue to believe that nobody's above the law" - CBS's Face the Nation. | • CIA interrogations: "I continue to believe that nobody's above the law" - CBS's Face the Nation. |
| • Race: "Are there some people who don't like me because of my race? I'm sure there are." - ABC's This Week | • Race: "Are there some people who don't like me because of my race? I'm sure there are." - ABC's This Week |
| • Afghanistan: "I just want to make sure that everybody understands that you don't make decisions about resources before you have the strategy ready." - ABC's This Week. | • Afghanistan: "I just want to make sure that everybody understands that you don't make decisions about resources before you have the strategy ready." - ABC's This Week. |
| • North Korea: Kim Jong-il is "pretty healthy and in control" - CNN's State of the Union. | • North Korea: Kim Jong-il is "pretty healthy and in control" - CNN's State of the Union. |
| No negotiations with Moscow | No negotiations with Moscow |
| Questioned on the CBS's Face the Nation programme, Mr Obama said: "My task here was not to negotiate with the Russians." | Questioned 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. | "Russia had always been paranoid about this, but George Bush was right. This wasn't a threat to them," Mr Obama said. |
| Iran has held regular tests of its long-range missiles | Iran has held regular tests of its long-range missiles |
| He added that the replacement plan would not be a threat to Russia, either. | 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". | 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". |
| Writing in the New York Times earlier, US Defence Secretary Robert 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". | Writing in the New York Times earlier, US Defence Secretary Robert 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". |
| "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," said Mr Gates, a Republican who also served as defence secretary during George W Bush's final years as president. | "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," said Mr Gates, a Republican who also served as defence secretary during George W Bush's final years as president. |
| 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. |
| Ground-based system | Ground-based system |
| Sea-based system | Sea-based system |
| Intercontinental missile ranges | Intercontinental missile ranges |