Brzezinski Supports, Slams Obama Missile Call
Yesterday, I noted that Brent Scowcroft supports President Obama’s missile defense decision. Another luminary, Zbigniew Brzezinski, has voiced his support as well — albeit in an extremely colorful manner that’s not particularly flattering to the president.
In an interview yesterday with The Daily Beast‘s Gerald Posner, Jimmy Carter’s National Security Advisor both lambasted the Bush missile program as “based on a nonexistent defense technology, designed against a nonexistent threat, and designed to protect West Europeans, who weren’t asking for the protection” and excoriated the Obama administration’s handling of the matter, saying “The way it was conveyed to the Czechs and Poles could not have been worse.”
In my New Atlanticist essay, “Brzezinski Endorses Obama Missile Decision, Slams Rollout,” I observe,
Regardless of the latter’s criticisms about presentation, Obama has to be pleased to be getting the support of Scowcroft and Brzezinski, men who were luminaries when he was just a teenager and have remained giants on the international stage for more than three decades. That Scowcroft is a Republican and Brzezinski is from the hawkish wing of the Democratic Party— and both have simply unassailable records as Cold Warriors — only add to the value of their endorsement, as it buttresses the president against charges of appeasement.
More at the link.
Photo: Getty Images.
Given, as Brzezinski observes, the Bush plan was unworkable, how Obama could have turned it into a working strategy without alienating Poles and Czechs, and without further alienating the Russians is beyond me. I guess the Republican alternative to that was to “stay the course.” Yeah, they could have had that if they could have fielded a winning candidate.
The Poles don’t seem all that upset:
I think we’ve used up all the tempest in this teapot.
Not sure about that, the right seems to have an endless supply of hysteria. To think, once upon a time, conservatives had actual ideas…
Zbigniew B is in such conflict. Today a liberal -tommorrow a Marxist (but wait -my Poland)Who needs such wisdom that led Carter to destruction?
Billions of US dollars were spent to develop the B-1 bomber. Carter canceled it. Billions of dollars were spend to develop a missile defense system. Obama is canceling it. How many terms as President did the ever popular, wise and fair Jimma Carter serve? Lefty bozos just do not seem to grasp America does not want what they offer.
I don’t think it was Carter or Obama’s fault that we wasted billions on something we didn’t need, Zelsdorf.
Regarding Brzenzski’s slam of the rollout, what would be his proposal for doing so? As JJ pointed out in his last post, Obama gave a pretty good hint back in April. I understand that the appearances may not be good, but I’m not sure how that could possibly be addressed. Both the Russians and the Obama administration thought it was a bad idea, for different reasons.
I see Fareed Zakaria agrees with others: it was the right decision for the right reasons, but done the wrong way: Zakaria
But the only helpful suggestion he had was to not announce this on the 70th anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Poland. I suppose he’s right, but it’s a funny thing, I don’t have that particular occasion on my calendar.
“the right seems to have an endless supply of hysteria”
3…2…1…
Michael Goldfarb: Brezinski Calls for Obama to Shoot Down Israeli Jets; “A Liberty in Reverse”
Well played, anjin-san.
But that is exactly what Brezinski is calling for — he even calls it a “Liberty in reverse.” Goldfarb is a bit overwrought in his analysis of the matter but there’s simply no way in hell we’re going to shoot down Israeli jets if they try to hit Iran.
Oh really? Hypothetical situation – IAF overflies Iraq on the way to Iran. Our radars see the Israeli aircraft inbound. Do we really do nothing? What’s our commitment to the sovereignty of the Iraqi state? Are we willing to wipe out everything we worked for the last 6 years in Iraq and wink at Israel? If this is the case, you can take it to the bank that OIF would have been for naught and further push Iraq openly into Tehran’s orbit. And I won’t even go into what the rest of the Arab and Islamic world would do.
Surprised you didnt link to the article by Gates. This defense system will be functional sooner and is more flexible. It is also cheaper. Gates also cancelled other systems that did not look promising. Why do Republicans oppose responsible spending?
Steve