WASHINGTON - President Obama scrapped a controversial George W. Bush plan to build a missile defense shield in Eastern Europe in favor of land and sea-based interceptors to counter Iranian rocket attacks.
"We have made specific and proven advances in our missile defense technology, particularly with regard to land- and sea-based interceptors and the sensors that support them," Obama said Thursday.
"To put it simply, our new missile defense architecture in Europe will provide stronger, smarter, and swifter defenses of American forces and America's allies."
Obama said the new program, which will utilize some existing land-based interceptors, is more versatile and less costly than Bush's idea to build a permanent defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic.
That plan sent shock waves through Moscow, which perceived it as a Cold War throwback threat to Russia.
Republicans quickly pounced, accusing Obama of weakening U.S. security and putting European and Mideast allies at risk.
"The Administration's misguided action will cause our eastern European allies to question our commitment to their people and security, while heightening concerns in Israel," said House GOP whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.).
"The European deployment is the only system that can protect both the U.S. and Europe against the common threat of an Iran armed with nuclear weapons and the capability to deliver them," he added.
Obama said Secretary of Defense Gates and the Joint Chiefs of Staff unanimously backed the new missile defense plan over Bush's scheme.
New York Sen. Chuck Schumer also endorsed Obama's plan. "It is no secret that this missile defense shield has been a thorn in Russia's side," Schumer said in a statement.
"President Obama is clearly demonstrating his willingness to reset relations between our two countries, and the Russians should return the gesture.
It is time for Russia to join our push to impose stricter sanctions on Iran in order to halt its nuclear weapons program," he added.
