It has only taken six years, but according to reports that surfaced today, the United States and Poland have finally reached a tentative agreement on the development of a Ground Based Midcourse defense site, which will initially include the placement of 10 interceptors in Poland.
Although discussions concerning the radar site in the Czech Republic have not been concluded, the agreement between the U.S. and Poland comes as somewhat of a surprise, as the Polish public opinion looked unfavorable and requests for cooperation on security and other matters were prolonging discussions.
The decision to reach a missile defense agreement with the United States was a difficult one with many issues to address, as Heritage has documented. However, the Polish government has displayed to the international community that it is opposed to nuclear proliferation and the threats of rogue states.
In addition to Poland’s strong initiative toward international security, the country is also strengthening relationships with both NATO and the United States and standing out among NATO allies as a leader in defense and security matters. The development of the Third Site is a major accomplishment for both academic experts and the Bush Administration.