Washington, DC – Congressman Todd Akin (R-Mo), Ranking Member of the House Armed Services (HASC) Sea Power Subcommittee, joined Republican colleagues on HASC in sending a letter to President Obama. The letter dated March 4th, addressed reports that the Administration had made an offer to halt the development of a European missile defense system in exchange for Russian assistance in stopping Iran from developing nuclear warheads.
"The response to the threat of nuclear proliferation should not be the abandonment of the single most promising technology to defend against a rogue nuclear missile launch," stated Akin.
In the opening paragraph of the letter, the Congressman stated that:
"If reports are accurate, it is our understanding that you sent a letter to Russian President Medvedev last month suggesting your Administration would halt the development of a European missile defense system in exchange for Russian assistance to stop Iran from developing nuclear warheads and ballistic missiles. We are concerned that the Administration may be undertaking a surprisingly unilateral action. Though we share your strong devotion to our national security and the security of our allies, we believe it is unwise and premature to offer such a concession. We urge you to clarify your Administration’s position and respectfully caution against a policy that relies too heavily on Russian cooperation."
