Missile Shield Useless Against Iran's Arsenal: Study

The US missile shield planned for eastern Europe wouldn’t protect the continent from threats posed by Iranian missiles, a team of American and Russian scientists found. Further, the Washington Post notes, it will be more than 5 years before Iran can build nuclear warheads and missiles to launch them, says the report, presented to top US and Russian officials.

If Iran were to attack, it would be sealing its own end, the scientists noted: “The missile threat from Iran to Europe is thus not imminent.” The findings may weaken President Obama’s interest in the shield, a political sticking point with Russia. “The much more urgent problem,” the report says, “is to seek a resolution” on Iranian nukes—a matter which requires the US and Russia to join forces. (More missile defense system stories.)