President Barack Obama on Thursday shelved a Bush-era plan for an Eastern European missile defense shield that has been a major irritant in U.S. relations with Russia. He said a redesigned defensive system would be cheaper and more effective, AP reported. Anticipating criticism from the right that he was weakening America's security, Obama said repeatedly that this decision would provide more _ not less _ protection. With the announcement, Washington scrapped what had become a politically troublesome plan, and one the Pentagon says was ill-suited to the true threat from Iran. In its place would be a system the Pentagon contends will accomplish the original goal and more. «Our new missile defense architecture in Europe will provide stronger, smarter and swifter defenses of American forces and America's allies,» Obama said in an announcement from the White House. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Iran's changing capabilities drove the decision, but he acknowledged that the replacement system is likely to allay some of Russia's concerns. Obama also made a pointed reference to Russia and its heated objections to the shield. «Its concerns about our previous missile defense programs were entirely unfounded,» Obama said. The missile defense system planned under the Bush administration was to have been built in the Czech Republic and Poland. Obama phoned Czech Prime Minister Jan Fischer on Wednesday night and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Thursday to alert them of his decision. -- SPA
