Britannia Radio

Europeans Ambivalent about Obama’s Retreat on Missile Defense

From the desk of Soeren Kern on Thu, 2009-10-01 10:11

US President Barack Obama’s decision not to deploy a missile defense system in central Europe has received decidedly mixed reviews in Europe. Although newspapers and magazines across the continent have published editorials generally coming out in favor of Obama’s pronouncement, nearly all of them have also expressed deep skepticism that Obama’s so-called strategy of engagement with Russia will bear much fruit. 

Indeed, a consistent theme running through European commentary has been bafflement that Obama would abandon the missile defense system without receiving anything from Russia in return. A number of commentators have raised the issue of Obama’s lack of experience in statecraft. In Britain, for example, the Daily Telegraph published an editorial titled: “Barack Obama is Gambling with Europe’s Security.” Another article is titled: “President Barack Obama is beginning to look out of his depth.” It says: “His credibility is seeping away, and it will require concrete achievements rather than more soaring oratory to recover it.” 

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On Friday Ireland Decides Europe’s Future

From the desk of Paul Belien on Wed, 2009-09-30 09:27

This Friday, the Irish people are again being asked to sign away their sovereignty and freedom to the European Union authorities in Brussels. When the matter was put before them in a referendum in 2008, the Irish voted “No.” Now they have been told to vote again on the same matter. Ireland is the only country of the 27 EU member states where the people are allowed a direct vote about their future. In the other 26 countries which together with Ireland make up the European Union, the governments – not the people – have already decided to transfer national sovereignty to Brussels.

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