Obama's Secret Letter To Medvedev Offered Deal On Missiles

New York Times:

President Obama sent a secret letter to Russia's president last month suggesting that he would back off deploying a new missile defense system in Eastern Europe if Moscow would help stop Iran from developing long-range weapons, American officials said Monday.

The letter to President Dmitri A. Medvedev was hand-delivered in Moscow by top administration officials three weeks ago. It said the United States would not need to proceed with the interceptor system, which has been vehemently opposed by Russia since it was proposed by the Bush administration, if Iran halted any efforts to build nuclear warheads and ballistic missiles.

Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[newyorkid]

Iran has no long range misile capability. No lranian misile can possibly arrive to the US. This is a move to defend lsrael against the PaIestinians. It's AIPAC foreign policy. It's Rahm Emanuel, a former lsraeli military, foreign policy. It is AlPAC - lsraeI's foreign policy that controls the White House, Congress and the US Senate.

[CaptD]

Let's wait and see if this is just fluff or if it really has ANY reality at all!

These leaks are just "wanna be" ideas unless they are real and not just more posturing by any number of players; name sources or remain a sideline possibility...

[rabiddog6708]

And what would be in this for Iran? Russia deals with Iran but I'm sure it would have to be a he// of a deal to get Iran to give up its pursuit of nukes.

[ErikW65]

Russia's position is that Iran can have civilian nuke power, but not set up the technology for the entire nuclear fuel cycle and must allow for IAEA inspections. That's not to say they can prevent Iran from dissing the IAEA and clandestinely producing a nuke, but the thing is, Iran will never be able to complete their dream of civilian nuclear power without Russia's help. So Russia has, in effect, a veto over Iran's civilian nuclear programme, that can be used as leverage with this issue.

[aramos]

Obama is in way over his head!

[ErikW65]

LOL!

[HHarvey]

who made this information public is what I would like to know. Was it the Russians who leaked this info to the press?

[partyofone]

The discussion on MSNBC with David Shuster and guests on 1600 Penn was that the NYT reporter who broke the story is close to Hillary Clinton and HER team. They speculated on MSNBC thatt Clinton loyalists leaked the letter in retaliation because Clinton was excluded from dealings with Russia.

IF true, it confirms the worst fears about Hillary, first loyalties of her staff and her suitablity for the role of SoS.

IF she and her loyalists are behind the leak, and in power plays to undermine and embarrass the president, she should leave her post NOW.

Is Hillary's ego more important than the Obama presidency, and national security?

[ErikW65]

Speculation being the operative word. Of course Peter Baker of the New York Times is close with former NY Sen. Clinton. Look, the Dem Primaries ended a long time ago! How childish you seem, to go posting your unsubstantiated, mean-spirited, nonsensical conspiracy theories down the thread as if you're some kind of modern-day Paul Revere with a news scoop. Please.

[ErikW65]

"Attending a NATO meeting in Krakow, Poland, on Feb. 20, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said, “I told the Russians a year ago that if there were no Iranian missile program, there would be no need for the missile sites.”

From Peter Baker's article in nytimes.

[S1m0n]

The russians already know that the the missle defense system isn't about Iran, and there is no likelihood of an Iranian ICBM targetting the US, so I'm having trouble seeing them take this alleged offer seriously.

[ErikW65]

How does the Russians knowing this isn't about Iran make them take this LESS seriously? If they believe the interceptors in Poland are REALLY there to stop Russian ICBMs, then that would make them MORE likely to be willing to use their influence over Iran to sign a treaty!

[freedomitchy]

Amateurish. Nice sellout of the Czechs and the Poles. The Russians gave the president a slap in the face by leaking the letter. And the Iranians now know how weak the USA is.

[ErikW65]

Thanks for you opinions. Now you've got some linking to do below! LOL.

[partyofone]

The other speculatipon is the NYT reporter Peter Baker got if from Hillary's staff, angry because Hillary was excluded from the discussions about Russia.

[Hirnlego]

New toys in Europe could mean another cold war. Amateurish and unneeded. Bad idea. Lots of money wasted and possibly many many lives too as a result.

Say no to "full spectrum dominance"

[mero909]

How about we stay out of the affairs of other countries?

[ErikW65]

How about we turn the clock back to 1953. Sheesh.

[hamchunk]

Holy Crap!! You can do that?

Then I dare you, turn it back. Do it. C'mon, do it.......

[Gunga-Din]

Medvedv says nyet.

[ErikW65]

Did he say "No." or did he say nothing?

[Gunga-Din]

no

[GravitonX]

The Russians obviously leaked the letter (to an American source) for obvious reasons.

[partyofone]

The discussion on MSNBC is that Hillary operatives leaked the letter because she was angry at being excluded from the deliberations on Russia. The NYT reporter Peter Baker is evidently very close to HIllary and team.

[EHarold]

War Hawk Republican President for 8 years and now we have a Hawkish Democrat good lord when are we going to stop buying their damn lies? Sure there's going to be direct diplomacy uh huh..Oh right Mr.I.D.F is your chief of staff nuff said.

[ErikW65]

This is an example of the de-escalation of the arms race in the region through diplomacy, and you bash PBO for being HAWKISH? That's so ironic as to be in the realm of stupidity.

[poster1122]

Given the choice between removal of missile defense batteries from Eastern Europe (that they must no pose no serious security threat to them) vs. hard cash while their economy is faltering, I think I can guess Putin's answer...

[Ergon]

If their economy is 'faltering', what's ours? LOL.

[IneptitudePrideB4Fall]

Reagan "promised" not to invite ex-Warsaw Pact countries to join NATO. So you can understand why Russia would be a little hesitant to accept our assurances now not to put the misile defense system into Eastern Europe. As soon as we "bomb, bomb. bomb, bombed Iran, we'll get that missile defense system into Poland ASAP.
Consider well that the suggestion of the "deal" comes from Schumer. Schumer is a big supporter of ??????

????????

[Sapna]

Maybe some things should stay secret - especially in matters of national security - and not be all over HuffPo for us to debate

[worldwithoutus]

why would he think that russia the country that gave iran the ability to build nukes help the us

[ErikW65]

Oh, really. Chew on this, historian. "Iran's nuclear program started with the support, encouragement and participation of the United States, France, Germany and the UK ."

http://www.iranaffairs.com/iran_affairs/2006/05/blasts_from_the.html

Or you could go to any online encyclopedia and search "Atoms for Peace Program"...

[skantea]

Keep the faith, folks.