Missile Defense - Deal or no Deal - with Russia

/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Riki Ellison, Chairman of the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance (MDAA) www.missiledefenseadvocacy.org, went on record today commenting on the subject of the United States and Russia making a deal on the proposed third site for deployment of our missile defense system in Poland and limiting Iran's development and deployment of ballistic missiles. His comments are as follows:

"The United States decision to deploy missile defenses in Europe for the protection of the American Public, U.S. Armed Forces and U.S. Allies is about Iran's growing capability, intent and national will of nuclear ambition coupled with ballistic missiles. Any and all influences that can prevent and stop Iranian efforts to build nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles should be fully endorsed and supported. For the United States of America to stop the deployment of the missile defense system in Europe without complete verification that the Iranian nuclear program is dismantled and destroyed as well as the termination of development and deployment of long and medium-range ballistic missiles would put in jeopardy and risk the lives of the American public, the European public and the U.S. Armed Forces deployed in Europe and the Middle East."

"It would be foolish and remiss to believe that President Obama and his National Security Team would not choose to defend the American public, U.S. Military Forces and our Allies from an Iran that will soon develop nuclear strategic missiles. To that extent, movement towards deployment of missile defense systems in Europe must proceed."

"We fully support the outreach to Russia by this President and would hope that Russia is capable of halting Iran's national intent and their development of nuclear and ballistic missile programs. We would also want that Presidential outreach to be extended to collaboration and cooperation with Russia on their missile defense systems, of both sensors and interceptors, to help defend Europe, Russia and the United States if Iran chooses to ignore Russia's influence."