PUTIN SHOULD NOT AGREE TO BUSH'S GRANDIOSE MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM

The BBC reports that Bush is now in the Black Sea town of Sochi meeting with Vladimir Putin at his seaside resort dacha. Writes the BBC:

"US President George W Bush has arrived in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi for the last in a series of talks with President Vladimir Putin.

"The two are not expected to clinch agreement on a planned US missile defence system in Europe during this weekend's talks, the White House said."

If Putin is smart, he will not agree to Bush's grandiose plans to put up a missile defense shield in Eastern Europe. First of all, Bush wants the system in order to be able to shoot down an attacking Iranian missile. This is pure science fiction. Iran does not have missiles that fire into Europe, and even if it did, Iran has made no threats against any of its neighbors, not even against Israel.

Secondly, Bush's missile system could easily be turned into an offensive weapon pointed at Moscow and other Russian cities. If Putin agrees to allow Bush to install it, he has endangered the whole Russian nation against a nuclear attack from the West.

Thirdly, Putin should do the United States a favor and absolutely reject the missile defense system. It has not been proved that it will work, and it will cost multiple billions of dollars. Bush does not care how much he spends. His sole motivation is his "legacy." So that he can pretend he was a great American patriot and saved the nation from Iranian and other enemy missiles. No matter that the system is not needed. No matter that there is no Iranian threat. No matter that its cost will add to the hundreds of billions in deficit spending.

Please, Mr. Putin, do us all a favor. Don't agree with Bush and don't permit him to go ahead with this crazy, dangerous, necessary, spendthrift scheme.