The Atlantic Council hosted a conference on the Next Steps for Missile Defense in Europe featuring the Honorable Ellen Tauscher, Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, LTG Patrick O’Reilly, Director of the Missile Defense Agency, and Representative Michael Turner (R-OH), Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee.
This conference was particularly important in the wake of recent news from September 17 that the Obama administration will not proceed with Bush administration plans for missile defense installations in Poland and the Czech Republic, but rather will pursue alternative technologies and architecture. It follows an Atlantic Council missile defense debrief on September 22.
The political and geostrategic context for European missile defense has changed significantly over the last couple years, with this conference folloing an Atlantic Council event from 2007, Third Site: Missile Defense in Europe.
Transcripts:
- Patrick O’Reilly: Breakfast Briefing
- Ellen Tauscher: The Approach – The Obama Administration’s Missile Defense Policy
- Panel 1: The Architecture – Capabilities and Technical Implications of the Administration’s Plan
- Michael Turner: A Congressional Perspective
- Panel 2: Implications and Next Steps for NATO and Europe
- Panel 3: The Russians – The Way Forward with Moscow
- Panel 4: The Broader Arms Control Agenda
Media Coverage:
- Behind the New European Missile Plan: Recent Tests, Real-World Lessons Informed U.S. Design – Defense News, John T. Bennett
- New Missile Plan Would Link Allies’ Radar, Other Systems – Washington Post, Walter Pincus
- GOP Lawmaker Blasts Obama Team’s Missile Intel, Cost Claims – Defense News, John T. Bennett
- Tauscher: Bush-era Pact Can Be Modified To Cover Polish SM-3 Site – Defense News, John T. Bennett
- State official: Missile-defense move not about Russia – Foreign Policy, The Cable, Josh Rogin
- No Plan Yet for Extending START Verification Measures – Global Security Newswire, Elaine M. Grossman
- US invites Turkey to join missile shield – Hurriyet, Anatolia News Agency
- Lavrov, Clinton to meet Oct 12-14 for talks on different issues – ITAR-TASS
- Czechs yet to debate plans such as new anti-missile headquarters – Prague Daily Monitor, Czech News Agency
- Tauscher on Missile Defense – Washington Diplomat, Seth McLaughlin
- Pentagon, Obama Officials Promote New Missile Defense Plan – Defense Daily, Marina Malenic
- A Better Way on Missile Defense – National Security Network
Atlantic Council Press Release:
New Atlanticist Analysis:
- Defensive on Missile Defense – Jeff Lightfoot
- Missile Defense Rollout Rushed – James Joyner
- Obama Missile Move: Smart Power Reset – Arnaud de Borchgrave
- Missile Defense: What Scowcroft Missed – Adrian Karatnycky
- Brzezinski Endorses Obama Missile Decision, Slams Rollout – James Joyner
- Brent Scowcroft Supports Obama’s Missile Defense Decision – James Joyner
- Obama’s Missile Defense Decision: The View From Europe – James Joyner
The Missile Defense Conference was generously supported by Raytheon.
