Adirondack Daily Enterprise: Hoffman On The Missile Shield

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Doug Hoffman, Conservative Party candidate for the congressional seat John McHugh is expected to resign from in a few days, just put out a statement opposing President Barack Obama's decision to scrap the Eastern Europe missile defense shield, calling on him to reconsider.

As a bit of a European history buff, I found the statement interesting:

"It's ironic that this decision was announced on the 70th anniversary of the Soviet Union's invasion of Poland, a military action that helped launch World War II," Hoffman said. "Obviously, President Obama gives little credence to the adage, ‘Those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it.' Dating back to the 16th century there have been numerous invasions, incursions and wars between the nations that comprise Eastern Europe and the nation that is today called Russia. Good intentions are great, but, good intentions do not stop wars; a strong system of defense does.

"For nearly half a century Communism held Eastern Europe in its grip. We can never allow the citizens of Eastern Europe to be subjugated again. I stand with Lech Walesa in opposing this. I call on the President to reconsider this action and I hope my opponents Dede Scozzafava and Bill Owens will join me in doing so."

The Bush Administration's ostensible justification for the shield was to protect against Iranian missiles, but many people assumed it was a move against Russia. The Russians certainly did. Hoffman seems to acknowledge that its real purpose was to defend against Russia, and justifies this based on the history.

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