Protection Of Czech Republic Against Missile Attack Also Assured

The United States has guaranteed to protect the Czech Republic from any potential Russian attack on an envisioned European Missile Defense (EMD) system, and also has guaranteed to protect the Czechs from a missile attack by nations such as Iran.

Those assurances are spelled out in an agreement paving the way for U.S. installation of a radar on Czech territory as part of the envisioned European Missile Defense (EMD) system.

That EMD system, designed to shield Europe and the United States against Iranian missiles tipped with nuclear weapons, would be linked into the sea-based Aegis system on U.S. Navy ships, and to the Theater High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, system.

The 23-page agreement, recently signed by Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, spells out those U.S. commitments on page six. (Please see Space & Missile Defense Report, Monday, July 14, 2008.)

" … the United States is committed to the security of the Czech Republic and to protect and defend, by means of its ballistic missile defense system, the Czech Republic against a potential ballistic missile attack," the agreement provides.

The United States has a multi-layered missile defense system, including the planned EMD system with a radar in the Czech Republic and interceptors in silos in Poland, the existing Aegis sea-based system, THAAD, and future systems such as the Airborne Laser and Kinetic Energy Interceptor.

The agreement then continues to outline how the Czechs and United States are committed to defending the Czech Republic from any Russian attack on the radar facility, once it is installed.

"The parties shall cooperate to address threats to the Czech Republic related to the presence of the radar site in the Czech Republic, should they arise," the agreement stipulates.

Russian leaders have objected furiously to installation of the EMD system in what used to be part of the Soviet Union Warsaw Pact sphere of influence.

At times, Russians have vowed to use military force to attack the EMD system if it is built.

According to the Russians, the EMD system would threaten Russian intercontinental ballistic missiles, a claim that U.S. officials have shown to be patently absurd. (Please see separate story in this issue.)

The EMD system won’t be built unless and until both the Czech and Polish parliaments assent.