Missile shield planned for Europe

[CHIMO]

The United States and its NATO allies are close to an agreement to erect a missile defence shield over Europe, a project that would give the military alliance a fresh purpose while testing President Barack Obama's campaign to improve relations with Russia.

The deal is likely to be sealed at a two-day NATO summit starting Friday in Lisbon, officials say, as part of what the alliance calls its new strategic concept — the first overhaul of its basic mission since 1999.

The summit will include Obama, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and leaders of the 26 other member countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev will attend a separate NATO-Russia session on Saturday.


The allies are expected to declare in Lisbon that nuclear weapons will remain a central element in NATO defences. At the same time, the alliance will urge Russia to enter into negotiations to reduce short-range nuclear weapons in Europe. Prospects for those talks appear dim, however, unless the U.S. Senate ratifies the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, which would cut the number of American and Russian long-range nuclear weapons. Republican gains in the recent congressional elections have made ratification more doubtful.
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/11/15/nato-missiles-europe.html
Monday, November 15, 2010 | 8:04 PM ET

My fellow Canadians, this does not make sense!