Poland as Missile Shield Base - Saga Continues

The Prime Ministers of Poland and the Czech Republic have said they are considering a US offer to host part of a global anti-missile defense system on their territories, Deutsche Welle reports.

The US says the defense system would guard the eastern US and Europe from missiles launched by rogue nations in the Middle East including Iran. Russian General Nikolai Solovtsov immediately issued a warning that both Poland and the Czech Republic would risk being targeted by Russian missiles if they went ahead with their offer.

German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier has said that Europe is considering a rival missile defence system to a US shield, but acknowledges that Europe does not have the technological know-how to build such a system.

Polish Deputy Prime Minister Andrzej Lepper said Feb. 17 he opposes plans to install missiles in his country as part of a U.S. missile shield plan for central Europe. Lepper, chief of the Samoobrona party -- a junior member of the coalition government led by Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski's party -- said Poland could not ignore the views of its neighbors Ukraine, Russia and Belarus on the matter. Lepper's remarks contradict those issued earlier by Kaczynski, who said his government favors the plan.