Disarmament is the key to peace

Those of you receiving this paper know that I've been writing about the need we have to halt the development of the U.S. Missile Defense System in Europe. This is the fifth or sixth paper/story over the last few months.. I said that I would submit a case study for your consideration so here it is.

It's complete as it stands from about a month or more of research, writing and study, a few discussions and much thinking about the geopolitical climate today in Eastern Europe and around the world, with the proliferation of arms and nuclear weapons.

Today the world is a very dangerous place - unfortunately- due to man's quest for power and material acqusitions at the expense of the basic needs of mankind, peace and security, the opportunity to live a decent life with family and friends...

In any event this is a case to demonstrate, in a way, how far off we've gone from Star Wars to Missile Defense at a cost of over $100 billion and at the risk of a possible nuclear war in the future! Missile Defense has become another military industry with all its' deal making and money producing for those whose pockets the contracts and influence peddling are filled.

Let's stop it all now, the U.S. MDS in Europe first then the other systems in Alaska, California, Britain and Greenland, with others in the planning stage for India and the United Arab Emigrates, other countries...

I'll be preparing an "action plan" in the coming weeks and welcome your ideas and plans as well. Feel free to use any part of this case below with your own action projects. Together we can make a difference, progress for mankind.

regards, arn specter, phila.

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A Case Against the U.S. Missile Defense System in Europe
by Arn Specter, Phila.
January 7, 2009

Background:

For the last few years the U.S. has been negotiating with Poland and the Czech Republic for their cooperation in building a Missile Defense System (MDS) in the two countries in order to defend Europe against a possible threat of attack from Iran, considered by the Bush Administration as a "rogue" state.

Negotiations have been conducted and some agreements made though Polish lawmakers have yet to ratify a final agreement, which would include the deployment of 10 Missile Interceptors built there; while the Czech government has called for a delay in a final vote on its agreements with the U.S. whereby a Radar system would be built which could detect an incoming missile (or missiles?). A final vote is planned sometime after the inauguration of Pres-Elect Barack Obama on January 20, 2009.

On June 5, 2007, James Carroll , the Boston Globe, wrote in The Paradox of Missile Defense, "Of all the problems that are exacerbating US-Russian tensions today, none compares for destructiveness with Bush's misguided missile defense project.

...the resuscitation of the fantasy of missile defense, and with it the raising from the dead of the arms race, may result in catastrophes in comparison to which Iraq is benign".

There are many pros and cons about the development of this system. I'll attempt to demonstrate many reasons why the system should not be built and put into operation. Here are twenty-one reasons the planning and implementatation of the Missile Defense system are frought with errors and dangers making it prudent to halt it's development and call for diplomacy with Russia and Eastern Europe to resolve this travesty on the American people, with evidence and explanations afterwards.

Twentyone Reasons Against the Missile Defense System:

01.testing objectives consistently are not met, cost overruns and scheduling delays are rampant. The MDS dosen't work.

02. there is no evidence that Iran has threatened to attack Europe.

03. there is little evidence that Iran has a missile that could strike Europe.

04. Russia has threatened to deploy missiles, which could hold nuclear warheads, a short distance away from the Interceptors - and use them.

05. having missiles in Poland might threaten other countries in the region who, in turn, might escalate their own missile programs.

06. the U.S. has not conducted one test where more than one missile was fired at a target at the same time in order to determine if the "shield" could detect them and the interceptors launched could destroy them.

07. At further costs of billions of dollars the U.S. taxpayer cannot afford it.

08. the majority of people in Poland and the Czech Republic strongly oppose it.

09. it would have a "negative impact on the whole Euro-Atlantic security system,

10. US missile shield plan with Russia's missiles set north of Poland to retaliate are ," as twin threats to Europe" said French President and the head of the EU, Nicolas Sarkozy .

11. it would lead to an expansion of the arms race.

12. It will also put Poland and the Czech Republic, the 'host' countries, on the front line subject to attack.

13. it would deter progressive treaties and agreements with Russia, the U.S. and the EU on conventional and nuclear weapons.

14. plans now in effect to combine the MDS with other missile systems would compromise future attempts for reconciliation with Russia.

15. distorted information on the U.S. missile defense radar has been given by the head of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency.

16. many Czech people who vowed not to allow foreign troops on their territory again would be compromised by U.S. technicians and personnel working on the radar shield system.

17. many people in the U.S. oppose the system, other missile programs and the overinflated military budget - especially during these war years, costing them billions of dollars, thousands of lives and much prestige in the world.

18. The U.S. Congress, the House and Senate, have put the breaks on giving money to build the system, for various reasons.

19. The Pentagon, the U.S. Military Headquarters own test and evaluation office, says the technology, particularly in the version planned for Europe, remains unproven.
More engineering work was needed before tests could prove the system's effectiveness, the office said

20. during the last 10 years or so the costs of missile defense has run about $10 billion average, per year. We simply cannot afford to invest any more money into it.

21. If the U.S. continues development and starts to build the system in Poland and/or the Czech Republic and Russia retaliates, a major war could develop, even a nuclear war, which might destroy Europe and jeapordize the rest of the world.

Complete article:
http://www.opednews.com/populum/diarypage.php?did=11785