Lieberman Calls Decision on Missile Defense "Deeply Regrettable"

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Joe Lieberman (ID-CT) today called the administration's decision to cancel the long-planned missile defense deployment to Poland and the Czech Republic "deeply regrettable," and called on the administration to explain how it will meet the Senate's expectation that any alternate system be effective in defending against Iran's long-range missile threats not only to our allies but eventually to the United States.

"This deeply regrettable decision sends the wrong message to Tehran, Moscow, and our European allies at a critical time in our effort to stop Iran's nuclear weapons program," Lieberman said. "Moreover, it means that we will have a less capable missile defense system to protect the United States and our European allies against the Iranian threat. The administration must take immediate and tangible action to reassure our allies in Central and Eastern Europe that we are committed to their security and independence."

Lieberman continued to call upon the Obama Administration to meet conditions that the Senate established in the National Defense Authorization Act to exploring alternatives to the long-planned deployment of the Ground-based Midcourse Defense system to Poland and the Czech Republic.

"The Senate has clearly stated that we will only support alternatives to the previous plan that are as capable in defending both the United States and our European allies against long-range threats," he said. "The administration should explain how it plans to meet those conditions before it takes any further steps."

In July, the Senate unanimously adopted an amendment introduced by Lieberman and Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) that required that the U.S. missile defense system deployed to Europe must be capable of protecting both Europe and the United States.

When he introduced this amendment, Lieberman cited a February 2009 Congressional Budget Office (CBO) study titled Options for Deploying Missile Defenses in Europe, which examined the then-planned Ground-based Midcourse Defense system and its alternatives. This study found that the "[Missile Defense Agency's] proposed system would provide redundant defense from a third interceptor site for all of the continental United States. None of the alternatives considered by CBO provide as much additional defense of the United States."