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UK: opposition grows to US 'Missile Defense' system
The statement issued by British Labour Party members gives its support to the position taken by the social democratic parties in Poland and the Czech Republic, which have opposed their governments' agreement- against the wishes of the majority of people in those countries- for the United States to build 'National Missile Defense' (NMD) bases on their territory. The British government, without allowing the UK Parliament to debate the matter, has agreed that the USA can site components of the NMD system at two military bases in Yorkshire, Northern England.
Among the 53 parliamentary signatures on the statement, which calls for the UK government to "to arrange a full debate to allow MPs to scrutinise in public the US Missile Defence deployment plans in the UK", are those of the 'moderate left' MPs Jon Cruddas and Michael Meacher and that of former defence minister Peter Kilfoyle. The statement is also signed by six Euro-MPs, four members of the Labour Party's National Executive Committee, and seven trade union general secretaries including the leaders of UNITE, Britain's biggest trade union. Former Mayor of London Ken Livingstone has also signed the statement.
The opinion survey, which was conducted by the YouGov polling organisation between the 24th and 27th of October 2008, was commissioned by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND). A CND statement summarised the results:
CND's latest opinion poll of the British public's views on US Missile Defence reveals that a growing number, 61%, thinks that the system, rather than protecting the UK, actually increases the security threat faced by Britain and Europe. This is an increase from 54% when a similar question was asked last year. The margin between those agreeing that it increases the threat and disagreeing widened from 31% to 44%. Only 17% of those surveyed disagree that hosting US Missile Defence increases the security risks we face.
Also, a large majority, 68%, wants any UK involvement in the project settled by Parliament. This figure hasn't changed since an equivalent poll last year. Only 16% disagree. Unfortunately, the Government has refused to allow Parliament a say on the matter. It announced that the US would be allowed to use the Menwith Hill base in Yorkshire as part of the system, in addition to the Fylingdales radar, on the last day before a Parliamentary break.
In the poll, two questions were put to members of the public; these, and the answers, are as follows:
The siting of US missiles and early warning bases in Europe, as part of the US National Missile Defence programme, is increasing international tension between the US and Russia and, as a result, increases the threat to UK and European security.
Agree 61%
Disagree 17%
Don't know 23%
The UK's support for and involvement in the US National Missile Defence programme, including the siting of US radar and communications bases in Yorkshire, should be decided by the UK Parliament.
Agree 68%
Disagree 16%
Don't know 16%
Proof of the pudding
Further evidence for the concerns expressed by the Labour Party members and in the CND opinion poll emerged on 5th November, when President Medvedev announced that Russia would position short-range Iskander missiles in Kaliningrad, its Baltic enclave, in order to counter the USA's placement of NMD missiles and radars in Poland and the Czech Republic.
Before making the speech in which he announced this measure, Medvedev sent a telegram to Barack Obama in which he congratulated him on winning the US presidential election. According to the Kremlin website, the text of the telegram included this message:
“Russian-American relations have historically been an important factor for stability in the world and have great importance and sometimes key significance for resolving many of today’s international and regional problems [...] We in Russia are certain of the need to work consistently on developing cooperation between our countries not only on the broad range of issues in the international agenda but also on building real bilateral cooperation in all different areas. We have already built up solid positive potential in this area but much still remains to be done for the good of our peoples and in the interests of making the world more peaceful and secure.
I hope for a constructive dialogue with you based on trust and consideration of each other’s interests”.
Medvedev's telegram to Obama was not reported in the Western press, which instead focussed exclusively on the proposed Russian missile deployment; which was, of course, received negatively by The European Union, the US government and the Western commentators; the latter suggesting that the Russians should merely have celebrated the election of Barack Obama, rather than showing their determination in the face of the 'Missile Defense' programme. On 7th November, the Financial Times commented:
As an attempt to spoil the party, it failed. While leaders around the globe feted the historic occasion, Moscow made itself look churlish in the eyes of the outside world.
It is normal in the statements of Western 'opinion-formers' to regard the 'outside world' as meaning those countries which usually ally themselves with the United States. No mention was made in the Financial Times article, or the other Western commentaries, of the view expressed by the Chinese government.
Russian news agencies, on the other hand, gave prominence to a cautious statement made by the Chinese Foriegn Ministry. According to the Interfax report, which was headed 'China Shows Understanding for Russia's Future Placing of Iskander Missiles':
The Russian decision to deploy Iskander tactical missile systems in the Kaliningrad region results from the U.S. prospective deployment of missile defense sites in Eastern Europe, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qing Gang told a Thursday [6th November] press briefing in Beijing.
"China invariably believes that the deployment of global missile defense systems, including those placed in particular regions, does not add to global stability and trust," he said.
"The latest developments show that certain countries should be attentive to the concerns of others," Qing noted.
As they do on all matters not directly impinging on their own internal affairs, and for sound tactical reasons, the Chinese expressed themselves with extreme moderation. Despite big increases in military spending in recent years, China is still very weak in terms of its nuclear weapons capacity; and China relies for its further industrial growth on continued investments and technology imports from the USA and Western Europe.
The party atmosphere surrounding the USA's new president will continue for some time after his inauguration on January 20th 2009. Obama has made some statements which indicate that he may be willing to consider a scaling-down of the NMD programme. Until or unless this occurs, it is unlikely that either Medvedev or his cautious Chinese allies will be celebrating.
For an analysis of the purpose of the USA's 'Missile Defense' system, check: