Averting Another Missile Crisis

While politicians worldwide were congratulating President-elect Barack Obama on his win last week, Russian president Dmitry Medvedev demonstrated that his country intends to be just as aggressive with the new administration as it was with the last. In his state-of-the-nation address last Wednesday, only 12 hours after Obama’s election, Medvedev criticized United States foreign policy and announced Russian plans to place missiles in the Baltic region. We urge Obama to break from the Bush administration’s legacy by withdrawing the proposed American missile shield in Eastern Europe, while maintaining the commitment of the U.S. to defending Eastern Europe in case of conflict with Russia.

Russia plans to install Iskander missiles in Kaliningrad, between two NATO member countries, Poland and Lithuania, in order to neutralize a missile system that the U.S. intends to set up in Poland and the Czech Republic. The U.S. insists that its proposed missile shield is meant to protect Europe from a possible nuclear attack from Iran, but Russia believes that it is actually aimed at their nation. Medvedev’s declaration that Russia will place missiles in Kaliningrad follows after previous warnings that—by agreeing to the U.S. missile system—Poland is making itself vulnerable to an attack, possibly with nuclear weapons.

In his speech, Medvedev condemned the “selfish” foreign policy of the United States and blamed the U.S. for Russia’s recent war with Georgia and for the current financial crisis. These statements reveal that Russian antagonism toward the U.S. is still prevalent. It is crucial that our government remember this when handling our diplomatic relationship with Russia. The U.S. has much to gain from favorable relations with Russia, and the new administration should try to avoid heavy-handed tactics like the proposed missile shield.

Russia’s threats to attack Poland make it clear that the U.S. must stand firm in its commitment to defend NATO members in Eastern Europe. However, refraining from installing missiles in its backyard will keep Eastern Europe safer in the long run than a face-off with Russia will. While defending itself and its allies against “rogue states” like Iran is essential, the U.S. will not help its cause by antagonizing Russia.

The Obama administration should use its position as a fresh entrant to the bargaining table as an opportunity to fix the blunder the previous administration made in proposing the missile shield. By unilaterally withdrawing its weapons and appearing to back down from its previous stance, however, the U.S. risks losing its credibility as a strong player in international politics. Instead, the U.S. should make a deal with Russia in which we withdraw our missile plans in exchange for a similar withdrawal of theirs.

The Obama administration still has to prove itself in international relations, and it should do so by pursuing reasonable, peaceful diplomacy with Russia while remaining strong in its commitment to defend the NATO countries in Eastern Europe.