Obama’s Missile Defense Two-Step Emboldens Putin

Yesterday, the Pentagon at long last cut the ribbon on a new missile defense deployment in Eastern Europe. A decided chill was cast on the celebration of this milestone, however, by threats from Russia to respond with nuclear attacks on the basing nation, Romania.

Early in his presidency, Barack Obama foolishly sought to lubricate his vaunted “reset” of relations with Moscow by canceling an anti-missile capability that would, several years ago, have started protecting our European allies and the American homeland from Iranian – but not Russian – ballistic missiles.

By contrast, the relatively modest “Aegis Ashore” system declared operational on Thursday still can’t stop Russia’s vast missile threat to Europe – and won’t defend us against Iran’s.

Putin has long hoped to shatter the NATO alliance. Obama’s earlier appeasement and belated, half-a-loaf reversal has emboldened Russia’s dictator, perhaps actually to try to do it.