London
Britain has agreed in principle to station U.S. missiles on its territory, as part of the Bush administration’s planned missile defense shield, the London Independent on Sunday reported this week. Britain had already agreed to provide radar transmission for the U.S. program, which British papers are calling “Son of Star Wars.” But siting missiles on British soil is far more controversial, and diplomats reportedly asked the U.S. not to make a formal request until after the British elections next spring. British government officials would not comment on the report, but many in Prime Minister Tony Blair’s own Labor Party expressed dismay over the development. “This is part of an increasing surrender of British interests to satisfy the obsessions of the Bush administration,” Labor legislator Malcolm Savidge said. The Russian Foreign Ministry responded angrily as well, saying that missiles in the U.K. would pose a “possible threat” to Russian security and could start a defensive arms race.
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