By Brandon Moseley and Bill Britt
Alabama Political Reporter
Congressman Mo Brooks (R) from Huntsville graciously agreed to a lengthy interview with ‘The Alabama Political Reporter.’ One topic we asked Rep. Brooks about is legislation that would prevent the President from sharing American anti-missile technology with the Russian Federation.
Rep. Brooks said, “I was the one who was able to attach an amendment the Defense Authorization Act last year and this year that barred the president from sharing our hit to kill technology with the Russian Federation. This year it passed the House and hopefully will be adopted by the Senate.”
Congressman Brooks said, “To me it border on obscenity to spend hundreds of billions of American taxpayer dollars on research and development that greatly surpasses what any other nation in the world has been able to do and then just give it away. That technology should not be given away to anybody much less a quote, unquote, ally as unreliable as the Russian Federation.”
Representative Brooks said, “As often as not the Russians are on the other side of us. It was not that long ago that the Russian equivalent of the Joint Chief of Staff said that if we put missile defense systems in Southeast Europe that they Russia would engage in a preemptive strike. He is saying they would start a war. That is pretty strong language.”
Rep. Brooks said, “Do we really want to share our technology that was so expensive to develop and is so superior to anything else, why would we share that we Russia or anyone? I say no!”
“If our foes or potential foes get our hit to kill technology then they are free to develop counter measures.” “This would put our country at risk. As you know the more people know about something the greater the risk that others will find out, it does not have to be leaked intentionally.”
On March 6th Reuters reported that the administration was still considering sharing classified information with the Russians about a proposed American antimissile shield.
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Brad Roberts told Rep. Brooks that “Cooperation could be well-served by some limited sharing of classified information of a certain kind if the proper rules were in place to do that,” in a House of Representatives’ Armed Services subcommittee hearing.
Russia is strongly opposed to the U.S.-engineered anti-missile bulwark that is being built in and around Europe against ballistic missiles that could be fired by countries like Iran. Russia is concerned that a shield could effectively defeat their own missiles and would eliminate the effectiveness of Russia’s own nuclear deterrent force.
Roberts said that the administration has not had any progress in getting the Russians to drop their objections to a missile defense shield. Dep. Asst. Sec. Roberts told the subcommittee that the Obama administration believes this cooperation would be in the security interests of the United States, NATO and Russia by strengthening the defensive capabilities of both NATO and Russia.
On March 27th President Obama told then Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, “This is my last election and after my last election I have more flexibility.” Pres. Obama was unaware that a microphone was live so that the President’s remarks were going to the press.
Critics have accused the President of plotting to trade the anti-missile secrets to the Russians for his desired treaty if he is reelected in November.
Rep. Brooks is seeking a second term in the United States Congress. His opponent in the November 6th General Election is Rev. Charlie Hollie (D) from Huntsville.
