Star Wars Deal Places US missiles On UK Soil (from ATSNN), page 1

According to a report in a UK newspaper, the Independent on Sunday, the UK Government has agreed to site US Interceptor missiles on UK soil.
The report states that the offer was made at a meeting held in Washington during May of this year. UK officials are said to have asked the US not to make an official request to site missiles in the UK until after next years expected General Election.
The UK Government has insisted that the US repects two "red lines"; that the system is entirely defensive, and that the system will cost the UK taxpayer nothing.

news.independent.co.uk
Star Wars deal places US missiles on UK soil
By Francis Elliott and Severin Carrell
17 October 2004

Tony Blair has secretly agreed to allow President Bush to site US missiles on British soil as part of the new US "son of Star Wars" programme, The Independent on Sunday can reveal.

Downing Street has given an agreement in principle to the Pentagon to station interceptor missiles at RAF Fylingdales, North Yorkshire.
The confidential deal goes far beyond the official position that Britain is providing enhanced radar provision for the US national missile defence programme.
This newspaper has learnt, however, that an offer to site missiles in Yorkshire was made in a meeting in Washington in May this year and that preparations are well under way to overcome public and parliamentary opposition.

The meeting, one of a series held to discuss US-UK collaboration on the programme, was attended by senior officials from the British embassy, a deputy to John Bolton, the Pentagon"s secretary for arms control, and staff from the US State Department.

British diplomats gave an agreement "in principle" to siting interceptors at RAF Fylingdales, but asked that no formal request be made until after the next general election.

Ministers are confident they can win public support for the missiles. They will insist that Britain has ensured the US respects two "red lines": that the system must be strictly defensive and that it must cost the British taxpayer nothing.

Please visit the link provided for the complete story.

The alleged agreement by the UK government to site US missile on UK soil will inevitably cause massive public debate. The UK Government was already facing protests when it was announced that the UK would host an upgraded radar system for the new missile defence system, named Son of Star Wars.
This new allegation could cause similar nonviolent direct action not seen in the UK since the days of Greenham Common and the Cruise Missile protests.

[edit on 16-10-2004 by zero lift]