The Daily Campus

Issue date: 4/9/08 Section: Commentary

In another bullet point added to a long list of poor policy decisions, the Bush administration is advocating the building of a national missile defense system near Russia's borders. The administration's attempt to expand the military's reach into Europe by establishing a missile defense program in Poland and the Czech Republic was met with a stern rebuke by Vladimir Putin and the Russian government in a meeting over the weekend between the two sides. The Czech Republic and NATO have both endorsed the plant, but they, like the U.S., are blind to the error of their ways. The administration's goal of building a missile defense shield in Russia's backyard is unnecessary and only serves to strain relations with another super power while at the same time inciting fear into the rest of the world.

The justification for the missile defense shield is a direct result of Sept. 11 and the War on Terror. The inherent fear of terrorist attacks, along with first strike policies such as the One Percent Doctrine, are the main ingredients to a strategy that would assure U.S. security through the threat of violence. Bush has tried, though unconvincingly, to persuade Putin that the national missile defense shield would not be aimed at Russia. Instead, it would be used to counter attacks from Middle Eastern terrorists groups and even Iran. The same "potential terrorist threats" used to justify the Iraq War are again being posed to attempt to militarize a sovereign land.

The U.S. has no justifiable reason other than paranoia to build a missile defense system in Eastern Europe. Of course, the system would also benefit many of the Eastern European countries, but with recent U.S. history to look back on, it is should be easily understood why Russia fears U.S. controlled missile defense bases near their country. This proposal of a missile defense system does nothing but stifle and damage U.S. relations with a country that have been deteriorating over recent years.

Russia's power should not be underestimated, as that they are the only other country with a nuclear arsenal comparable to the U.S., and that their power is much greater than that of any terrorist group. There seems to be no possible way for terrorist groups to launch missiles - nuclear or otherwise - any significant distance that could damage the U.S. As seen on Sept. 11, the means of attack by terrorists is direct action on U.S. soil, making missile defense useless.

As of this moment, Russia remains an ally. However, direct challenges to their sovereignty, and that of other European nations as well, may serve to threaten this status. The issue of the missile defense system has only served to heighten tensions between the two countries and should be abandoned for the sake and safety of all involved.

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