In order to make our world, Europe and the United States safer; to stabilize future crises; to enhance NATO security; and to send a pervasive message to those that continue to proliferate ballistic missiles it is necessary to deploy an X band radar site in Central Europe.
This X Band Radar is an information gathering system that can share tracking and precise discrimination of data of ballistic missiles flying over Europe with NATO countries and allies. With this data, current and future missile defense systems of NATO countries such as Theater ground based missile defense systems and Aegis ships or their equivalent from Spain, Norway, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Greece the United Kingdom and the United States will be 2 to 3 times more capable to defend then they would be without this data. This data most importantly will give exact coordinates of harmful ballistic missiles targeted at European and United States Population and Territory to ground based interceptors in Central Europe which will be enabled with this radar data to eliminate and destroy these harmful ballistic missiles. Current radar systems providing information to NATO countries for protection are located in the United Kingdom, Greenland and the United States. These systems cannot provide the necessary information to defend Europe as geographic distances and the Earth’s curvature limit their capability. Proposed radars in Turkey or countries in that region, including the Russian proposed Azerbaijan missile site, are also unable to provide data necessary to protect the populations of Europe and the United States population and territory for the same physical reasons of geographic distances limited by the curvature of the Earth.
The proposed X band radar to be deployed in the Brdy region of the Czech Republic which is currently being negotiated between the United States and the Czech Republic is the most credible and effective solution to provide and share harmful ballistic missile information amongst the NATO countries.
Due the importance of this particular radar, MDAA commissioned a public survey within the population of the Czech Republic on their public views of this issue. MDAA also traveled throughout the Czech Republic and met with Czech Government Officials, Czech Citizens, Anti-Radar protestors, activists and villages of the Brdy Region where the Radar is proposed to be deployed.
Results of the polling data in the Czech Republic show that only one in five Czech citizens is familiar with the issue and 51% don’t currently support the radar. This is a 20% decrease from polls taken earlier this year. Those that are familiar with the issue are 52% supportive of the radar. Over 80% of the public are aware of Russian President Putin’s negative remarks on missile defense, however 65% say his comments don’t affect their opinion while 12% have increased there support and 8% decreased their support. 48% of the population believes that the hosting the radar would be a contribution to strengthening NATO. Providing Security for Europe is the top reason for supporting having the radar in the Czech Republic.
From the prospective of the interactions taken during these past days, it is clear that being a valued and important contributor to strengthening NATO and having responsibility as a world player in the future is of popular importance among the Czechs. It is also of importance, American presence and further ties strengthening that relationship gives more confidence for the future of the independence of the Czech Republic. Opposition to the Radar comes from small politically groups such as the Greens, the Humanists and the Communist Party who are leveraging the radar to anti Bush rhetoric and misinformation about nuclear weapons as well as tying the radar as a offensive weapon. The Czech Republic parliament fresh from its independence in 1989 will protect its self interest. There is a clear need by the government to communicate and educate their people on this issue with simple messages and facts.
Our World needs this Radar, its located in the right place for the right reasons.
