Not only does President-elect Barack Obama have to contend with a rotten economy and warring factions in Congress, Europe is divided over a proposed U.S. missile defense system.
An American initiative launched by the Bush administration would place missile sites in Poland and the Czech Republic. The missile shield is supposed to protect Europe from Iranian incursions and other potential threats.
Russia, however, in spite of shaking off communism, has reverted to the paranoia and mistrust of Josef Stalin's reign of terror and is ranting against the deployment.
France, as is customary, is taking Russia's side, saying the shield isn't necessary.
The French parrot the Russian line that the United States is trying to start another Cold War.
Sure. The West wants to go back to the nuclear standoff that threatened all civilization.
That's rank propaganda to spur the icy relations Russia cultivates between the U.S. and the European Union.
The Czech Republic and Poland want the missiles. Since George W. Bush can't complete the deal, they want Obama to follow through.
And the sounds of rattling sabers fill the air over Europe.
Obama isn't ruling out any options at this point. He says the issue bears scrutiny. He's not putting himself in a corner by making promises to any of the European nations.
He's taking the right road by waiting until he takes office and has a chance to meet with foreign heads of state and initiate his own diplomatic ties.
Until then, the missiles will wait. And Russia and bedfellows will spout propaganda left over from the days before the Berlin Wall fell.
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