Historic decision: US to launch interceptor missiles from Romania

President Traian Băsescu yesterday announced Romania’s historic decision to agree to the deployment of interceptor missile launchers on its territory that will be used in case of a nuclear strike from East against the West.

Romania is thus becoming a shield of the West and one of the key allies of the United States of America in the world. This can mean a massive inflow of US investments attracted by the security guarantees thus created.

A number of 24 missile launchers will be deployed in Deveselu, Olt County, near Caracal and 300 kilometres West of Bucharest.

Unlike previous negotiations when only the deployment of a radar to detect intercontinental missiles with a range of over 4,500 kilometres as part of the US antimissile shield was discussed, the agreement reached by the CSAT (Supreme Defence Council) with the American party entails deployment of interceptor missile launchers.

This means that ballistic missiles will be intercepted from Deveselu, in case they are launched towards Europe. The countries in the East that have missiles with a range of over 4,000 kilometres are Russia, Iran, China, India, Israel and Pakistan. Traian Băsescu yesterday reiterated specifically that the shield was not directed against Russia, Romania’s former ally from 1945 through 1990.

The President announced there would be 200 US troops stationed in Deveselu, with the number likely to go up to 500.

Another major decision made by the CSAT on Monday night was to allow the US to use Mihail Kogălniceanu airport and Constanța harbour as transit points for troops going to Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Americans’ decision to involve Romania in building the antimissile shield and Romania’s decision to agree to it are one of the most important decisions in history as far as Bucharest is concerned.

The message that Bucharest is sending to the international community is that Romania is an unconditional ally to the US and one of the most powerful in Europe.

It should be noted that the talks over the deployment of the shield in the Czech Republic and Poland stirred protests in those countries, which did not happen in Romania.