US to drop Czech and Polish missile shield

It is almost certain that the US will scrap its plan to build elements of anti-missile shield in Poland and Czech Republic, Warsaw daily Gazeta Wyborcza has discovered. According to Riki Ellison, chairman of the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance in Washington, the White House is already looking at other options. At a recent conference concerning the anti-missile shield, US generals did not even mention Poland or Czech Republic as the administration of Barack Obama seeks to deploy mobile anti-missile rocket launchers on warships and in military bases in Israel, Turkey and possibly in one of the Balkan countries. Although the strategic review of the anti-missile shield project launched under the new president has not yet been completed, experts are adamant that the chances of sites in Poland and Czech Republic are very slim, with Washington sensitive to Russia’s objections to the idea. Others point to high costs and Obama’s advisors lack of faith in the effectiveness of an anti-missile shield as main obstacles to the project.