Czech mayors urge US president elect to abandon radar base plans

The mayors of thirty Czech towns have urged US president-elect Barack Obama to abandon US plans to site part of its missile defense shield in the Czech Republic, warning that it posed a serious danger for Europe. In an open letter to the US president-elect, the mayors say there has been a lack of public debate on the issue in the Czech Republic and that opinion polls indicate that two thirds of Czechs do not want a US radar base on Czech soil. They warn that, if the US plans go ahead, Europe could become the main battlefield in a potential international conflict. Mr. Obama has not made an official commitment to continue with the project, saying that his support was conditional on whether the system really worked.