By Susan Duclos
Remember when Barack Obama was caught on a hot mic promising Russia he would have "more flexibility" on the missile defense that Russia objected to, after his election?
Video below of Obama and Russia's Dmitry Medvedev:
Via Reuters, March 2012:
U.S. plans for an anti-missile shield have bedeviled relations between Washington and Moscow despite Obama's "reset" in ties between the former Cold War foes. Obama's Republican opponents have accused him of being too open to concessions to Russia on the issue.
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney seized on Obama's comment, calling it "alarming and troubling."
"This is no time for our president to be pulling his punches with the American people," Romney said in a campaign speech in San Diego.
As he was leaning toward Medvedev in Seoul, Obama was overheard asking for time - "particularly with missile defense" - until he is in a better position politically to resolve such issues.
"I understand your message about space," replied Medvedev, who will hand over the presidency to Putin in May.
"This is my last election ... After my election I have more flexibility," Obama said, expressing confidence that he would win a second term.
"I will transmit this information to Vladimir," said Medvedev, Putin's protégé and long considered number two in Moscow's power structure.
Promise kept.
....The Pentagon is canceling the planned fourth phase of an anti-missile system that had been scheduled for deployment in Poland in 2022. The SM3 IIb missile was significant for two reasons: It was the only interceptor planned for the Europe-based system that could have defended the United States against an attack from Iran; and it was the component of the system most decried by Russia, which claimed that it could be used against its intercontinental missiles.
Obama kept his promise to Russia by taking away the one interceptor that could have provided security and defense for the U.S. from Iran.
Via the same Wapo quoted from above:
"Director of Natonal Intelligence James R. Clapper recently told Congress that Tehran could test an ICBM this year."
ICBM: Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles
