By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Senior administration officials say President Barack Obama has written to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, suggesting that an American missile defense system in Eastern Europe might not be necessary if Moscow helps to block Iran from getting long-range missiles.
Plans for deploying US missile defenses in Poland and the Czech Republic, supposedly to guard against Iranian attacks on US allies in Europe, are among a host of issues that soured US-Russia relations during the Bush administration. There had been earlier indications - but less obvious - that Obama might be willing to set aside the missile defense system.
One administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that Obama's letter said a missile deployment might become unnecessary if Washington and Moscow together could address "the Iran missile threat."