The United States Ballistic Missile Defense System and its Implications for European Security

Abstract

The United States plans to deploy an interceptor site in Poland and Xband radar in the Czech Republic as a part of its ballistic missile defenses. Ballistic missiles are one of the means of delivery of WMD and therefore pose a considerable threat to international security. The U.S. seems to focus too much on ballistic missiles and tends to forget about other means of delivery of WMD. The system however implies some serious security implications for Europe. Russia has expressed its concerns regarding the location of the system and threatened to attack Poland and the CzechRepublic. The United States has tended to ignore Russian and European concerns regarding the system and increasingly hindered NATO involvement in the system. Russia has started to change its nuclear and missile policies in response to the U.S. plans. Europe might be faced with an arms race on the continent and NATO might have to respond to an attack on two of its members, which could surface its weaknesses. The ballistic missile defense system will have a negative impact on European security.