Why are a lot of Europeans against the idea of the US creating a missile defense system?

Question

I'm an American looking to understand why this is the case. It doesn't really make sense to me, so obviously I'm missing something. Please help me understand the European point of view on this. If the US is willing to set up the missile defense system to cover all countries in NATO, why would those countries be unhappy about this? ...I can understand why the US populace would be unhappy about it. Because the system is outrageously expensive, and it hasn't been shown to work, so we are wondering why our tax money is going toward this idea. But why the European outrage?

Answer 1

They get outraged about anything that makes it appear the U.S. is strengthening itself, largely beqcause they lack the will to do it themselves.

Answer 2

It has something to do with the Post-Cold War situation. After the Cold-War, Europe and the European NATO members managed to establish a better relationship with Russia. Russia itself, had undergone a lot of internal changes. It's political leadership became more moderate, the country became more open, the government is much less repressive, open-market economy was adopted, and the Russian standard of living improved. European investments flowed into Russia. Because of this better relationship, Europe now view Russia as an economic and trade partner, and a vital component to its regional stability. The Cold War-induced mutual distrust, threat, and fear are a thing of the past.

This is the reason why Europe is not willing to set up missile defense systems. Doing so will threaten and alienate Russia. It will generate a strain in the current European-Russian relationship. So, it will be "Cold War" all over again. Europe is not willing to take such risks. As long as the good European-Russian relationship is maintained, Europe felt no need for these defense missile systems.

Furthermore, Europe learned the bitter lessons of the Cold-War. During that period, European nations agreed to the installation of U.S. missile systems in their soil as a deterrence against communist expansion. In response, Russia pointed its own missile systems to deliberately target these nations. Thus European nations lived in constant fear of any U.S.-Soviet nuclear confrontation. They feared that since their cities were now direct targets of Soviet missiles, any accidental or intentional launch will cause massive devastation to their population.

Answer 3

Some people see it as the first step towards an American first-strike capability. An effective missle defence system could be preceived as giving the United States the abaility to launch ICBMs without the fear of a retalitory strike. Essentially it negates the concept of Mutually Assured Destruction which kept the West and Soviet forces from lauching against each other during the Cold War.

Answer 4

The Northern Hemisphere Early warning device is manned via Canadians and individuals and that they save a persevering with watch on all airspace plus the Polar Ice Cap area,that's believed Ivan would desire to deliver a preemptive strike over the Ice Cap yet all airspace is scanned,all they do is % out and warn of a achieveable attack via Bombers,warring parties, ICBMs or the presence of an unidentified flying merchandise .the certainly counter to those threats are interior the palms of the Joint chief of team and different instructions deemed mandatory to handle each threat.How they might take care of each threat, somewhat an ICBM attack might in all probability ask your self the huge-unfold American and confident,Canadians.i'm specific we've waiting plane reaction communities and SAMs yet to what quantity,i don't be conscious of,sorry.

Answer 5

Because it would spark a new cold war. Countries would be busy building nuclear weapons that got around the missle defense systems. Another cold war is the last thing this world needs.

Pssst I'm an American.

Answer 6

Some of the Europeans fear it might shift the balance of power and further embolden the U.S.