The Rocket shield the US plans to install in Poland with a new radar facility in the Czech Republic, starts to become an ever greater source of tensions within the EU.

One is bit reminded on the times back at the Iraq war, but today it all happens without need. One also could nearly have a deja vue of the cold war, when the US and Russia played around in Europe without putting too much importance into the question what Europe thinks about it. But only nearly.

Its the weakness of Europe that makes this possible in first place. But is it random that the US when working on an issue that affects whole Europe, does not go to Europe first, but picks out of it some countries that fit at best to its own policies, while ignoring the rest? And on the other side, Russia, who tries at every chance to make bilateral treaties and count on its oil and gas power to divide the nation states apart in blank egoism. Well knowing that this will be to no advantage of anyone except Russia.


Joschka Fischer, the former foreign minister of Germany, wrote a very thoughtful article for a Lebanon paper. I think its worth to read and puts also these very questions above.

The Daily Star - Opinion Articles - American missiles, Middle Eastern oil, and the EU divided


Give me your opinion. Is it just a colleteral damage or do other blocks start to try undermining an entity that could endanger their sphere of influence and who could stand up far better than the individual states alone?

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"Every country gets the cuisine it deserves"

I think they are trying to split us up.
I read an article once by an American right-wing group about how they should work to stop the EU constitution, because it would be bad for America.
They always work with Poland, and support it in its attempts to make the EU more free trade and free market, which of course is good for America.
America knows that many of Europe's leaders want it to be a rival superpower to America.
Russia of course, just more influence in the east of Europe.

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... I am surprised at your insolence in writing to me at all. You know, as I know, that I bought this constituency... may God's curse light upon you and may it make your women as open and as free to the excise officers as your wives and daughters have always been to me while I have represented your scoundrel corporation.
I have the honour to be... your obliged humble servant, Anthony Henley
- MPs reply to constituent, mid 1700s

Actually I think you are betting on the wrong ones. Better choose the Polish or the Czechs, they will be far more reliable, simply because France nonetheless is still pro European, even though they let free their frustration about the "neolibertarian" way the EU takes in their opinion.

But thats not exactly what this thread is about. I was asking a question about the strategy of powers like the US and Russia towards a unifying Europe. And I brought up a current example including a good essay of someone who should have at least a good basic knowledge about the whole issue complex. I mean Joschka Fischer isnt a nobody, and he did a pretty good job as foreign minister.

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"Every country gets the cuisine it deserves"

Instead of turning this into a ridiculous french basing thread what about thinking about the actual plan for a minute.
While i don´t see Europe under danger of missile attacks and think the money should be used for real conflict prevention like development aid etc., does anybody seriously believe ten defensive missiles which can´t just simply be used for an attack will pose a threat to Russia or anybody else ? Probably the Russians do not seriously themselves. But everywhere political leaders are playing on the keyboard of public sentiment and populism, if you´re looking at Russia , Germany, France or the US. In Germany, the anti- american slogans from the Schröder years come back, Putin is talking about a new cold war, eurosceptical leaders in Poland and the Czech republic are using the negotiations to anger Brussels and the Bushies have a new front in the war on terror. And basically it is hot air.

Voland, can those rockets also be used against conventional missiles? Or are they only usable against nuclear attacks?

I somewhere read that some suppose the real reason for this anti missile system is, to create a global missile coverage for American forces, which would give the a huge defensive bonus and reckognizably facilitate military interventions for them.

I dont know if this has any truth in it. But if the system is also able to shoot down conventional rockets it makes sense somehow at least a bit.

PS:
If this should be really all just hot air, there still remains the question why the US accept to pay little fortunes for it. Anyway, if its really hot air, then everyone is happy on the costs of us Europeans, but even we are happy as well, because we are too stupid too see that it is us who take the political costs for it.

This whole issue is just another huge reason why Europe needs most urgently a really unified foreign policy. And I hope also the national politicians will start to realize it even though they will never openly admit it.

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"Every country gets the cuisine it deserves"

As far as I understand it, these rockets can shoot down anything which shouldn´t be in the skies above them, though they would specifically target missiles with nuclear or other warheads, right. But still they serve defensive purposes, and can´t just simply be programmed to head to Moscow or Teheran and rain destruction there.
And also as far as i understand it this missile system is at least to an extent an answer to a difficult question for the Bush administration. Iran is still years , if not decades away from posing a serious danger in missile technology let alone the nuclear bomb. This system serves more or less PR purposes towards the American public and shows how concerned the governement is about the safety of America and its Allies etc. From a russian point of view these couple of missiles are laughable. If Iran would seriously want to attack Europe, they would have other, and more effective means to do so......
So everybody is boiling his own soup.......

As far as I understand it, these rockets can shoot down anything which shouldn´t be in the skies above them, though they would specifically target missiles with nuclear or other warheads, right. But still they serve defensive purposes, and can´t just simply be programmed to head to Moscow or Teheran and rain destruction there.
And also as far as i understand it this missile system is at least to an extent an answer to a difficult question for the Bush administration. Iran is still years , if not decades away from posing a serious danger in missile technology let alone the nuclear bomb. This system serves more or less PR purposes towards the American public and shows how concerned the governement is about the safety of America and its Allies etc. From a russian point of view these couple of missiles are laughable. If Iran would seriously want to attack Europe, they would have other, and more effective means to do so......
So everybody is boiling his own soup.......

As far as I understand it, these rockets can shoot down anything which shouldn´t be in the skies above them, though they would specifically target missiles with nuclear or other warheads, right. But still they serve defensive purposes, and can´t just simply be programmed to head to Moscow or Teheran and rain destruction there.
And also as far as i understand it this missile system is at least to an extent an answer to a difficult question for the Bush administration. Iran is still years , if not decades away from posing a serious danger in missile technology let alone the nuclear bomb. This system serves more or less PR purposes towards the American public and shows how concerned the governement is about the safety of America and its Allies etc. From a russian point of view these couple of missiles are laughable. If Iran would seriously want to attack Europe, they would have other, and more effective means to do so......
So everybody is boiling his own soup.......

As far as I understand it, these rockets can shoot down anything which shouldn´t be in the skies above them, though they would specifically target missiles with nuclear or other warheads, right. But still they serve defensive purposes, and can´t just simply be programmed to head to Moscow or Teheran and rain destruction there.
And also as far as i understand it this missile system is at least to an extent an answer to a difficult question for the Bush administration. Iran is still years , if not decades away from posing a serious danger in missile technology let alone the nuclear bomb. This system serves more or less PR purposes towards the American public and shows how concerned the governement is about the safety of America and its Allies etc. From a russian point of view these couple of missiles are laughable. If Iran would seriously want to attack Europe, they would have other, and more effective means to do so......
So everybody is boiling his own soup.......

As far as I understand it, these rockets can shoot down anything which shouldn´t be in the skies above them, though they would specifically target missiles with nuclear or other warheads, right. But still they serve defensive purposes, and can´t just simply be programmed to head to Moscow or Teheran and rain destruction there.
And also as far as i understand it this missile system is at least to an extent an answer to a difficult question for the Bush administration. Iran is still years , if not decades away from posing a serious danger in missile technology let alone the nuclear bomb. This system serves more or less PR purposes towards the American public and shows how concerned the governement is about the safety of America and its Allies etc. From a russian point of view these couple of missiles are laughable. If Iran would seriously want to attack Europe, they would have other, and more effective means to do so......
So everybody is boiling his own soup.......