Clinton says missile shield to protect from Iran

Source: Reuters

Tue Mar 3, 2009 12:43pm GMT

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reiterated the United States' intention to prevent Iran acquiring nuclear weapons on Tuesday but declined comment on a report Washington offered Russia a deal to help achieve that.

She was asked at a news conference with Israel's foreign minister in Jerusalem about a New York Times report that President Barack Obama wrote to Russia's president offering to hold off deploying a U.S. missile defence system in Europe in return for Russian help on obstructing Iran's nuclear programme.

Clinton said Washington shared Israel's concerns, denied by Tehran, that Iran was seeking nuclear weapons: "We intend to do all that we can to deter and prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons," she said, while repeating Obama's offer to engage with Iran under certain conditions.

On Russia, which opposes plans for a U.S. missile shield in Europe, she noted that she had met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov briefly on Monday at an international meeting and would meet him again for longer on Friday:

"What we have said specifically in regard to missile defence in Europe is that it has always been intended to deter any missiles that might come from Iran," Clinton said. "It remains our position. We have explained that to the Russians before."

Read more: http://uk.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUKTRE5222ON20090303

---

I tried using a shotgun as an umbrella once, but I still got wet...

to enhancing Israels' nuclear weapons? Any new sales or trades with them - lately?

what would prompt any nation in the ME to non-sensically attack an unrelated nation in continental Europe?

Not only would it be a waste of expensive strategic assets but but it would serve no purpose in obtaining the rational or irrational goals of said country.


If we believe missile defense to involve the destruction of warheads during their terminal and not boost phase then the placement of such systems indicates the areas they are designated to protect.

All I see is an arrow formed from the Czech Republic to the Polish Baltic coast pointed straight at the heart of Russia.

exo-atmospheric intercept is the norm - the Ground-Based Interceptor (GBI) missiles going to Poland are built for exo-atmospheric intercepts. That being the case, Eastern Europe is the perfect location to intercept missiles from the ME.

Nothing wrong with a little dagger diplomacy.

The concept of a "missile shield", so far, has been little more than a boondoggle for the 'defense' industry. For the neocons it was a potential offensive weapon for threatening and bullying other countries - 'we can now attack you, but you can't attack us in return'. I don't think there is any legitimate purpose for a "missile shield". Thinking that Iran is going to attack Europe, and in fact, the whole manufactured Iranian nuclear "crisis" are products of a propaganda induced paranoia.

He eats Condi for breakfast and Hillary for lunch.
There shouldn't be any mistake or understimation that Russians are complete idiots.

It is already way out of hand.

And people complained about how big the stimulus bill was. This is an EPIC waste of time and money and this is not what I would expect of the Obama admin.

an old worn out 78rpm record.

The 'missile shield' is a useless boondoggle and serious provocation. It should be terminated with extreme prejudice.

I was just stating that she's speaking for Obama.

you excuse Ms C. Rice in one fell swoop

Do they get a brain transplant courtesy of the military industrial complex? They always seem to fall into line pretty quickly. Yes, there are sometimes a few subtle nuances so it may only be a partial brain transplant.

speech (modified to take out the direct threats, of course, but to leave the meaning of direct threats) as Third World Presidents, as descirbed in "Confessions of an Economic Hitman"

Congratulations Mr. President," Mr. Perkins says, assuming the role of the businessman, or economic hit man, as he likes to call his previous profession. "I just want you to know that in this hand I have a couple of hundred million dollars for you and your family if you play the game our way." With the practiced timing of an expert storyteller, Mr. Perkins pauses. "And in this hand I have a gun with a bullet in case you decide to keep your campaign promises."

Quite frankly, given what we have seen the last 30 years in this ocuntry, it wouldn't surprise me on little bit.