Poland’s Obama Hope, North Korea’s Nuclear Weapons
The U.S. reached a deal with Poland last year to install a missile defense shield in Poland. Since then, our Congress has stalled on funding the project, and Poland’s parliament has not approved the agreement. President-elect Barack Obama seems less than enthusiastic about the plans moving forward, although he talks tough on missile defense.
Radoslaw Sikorski, Poland’s Foreign Minister, is hanging his hopes on the new president. “I hope the new administration of President-elect Barack Obama, led by strategic security considerations, will continue the installation of missile defenses.”
While Russia considers the base to be an offensive move, the U.S. and Poland maintain that it’s a defense strategy to protect Poland against attacks from rogue states like Iran and North Korea.
Speaking of North Korea, the U.S. says the country has developed nuclear weapons and missile delivery systems. Naturally, the U.S. is concerned about the numbers of such weapons in Northeast Asia, as countries like Pakistan and India develop missile systems.
Five years ago, North Korea denied developing a nuclear program. But that denial is implausible. From the report: “The derivative danger from North Korea or Iran is that they may pass nuclear weapons or nuclear technology to others. Proliferation elsewhere remains a strong possibility, particularly in East Asia.”
Former Defense Secretary James Schlesinger implied that North Korea has become a bit arrogant in thinking the U.S. would retaliate “with conventional forces.”
As President George Bush leaves office, the new president will have to deal with North Korea’s nuclear build-up. Stephen Hadley, national security adviser, said the rogue state might see the new administration as an opportunity to renegotiate a denuclearization deal. Obama seems open to such a renegotiation.
(Sources: Reuters and The Korean Herald)
Tags: Barack Obama, North Korea, Poland, Radoslaw Sikorski, Russia