(UK) Debate urged over missile base

[Eugene]

Source: Press Association (UK)

Debate urged over missile base

Sunday November 25, 2007 3:13 AM

A decision to allow an RAF base to be used as part
of America's Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) system
was sneaked out by the Government and must now
be debated by Parliament, MPs have demanded.

Defence Secretary Des Browne revealed he had
approved a US request to use the top-secret
Menwith Hill facility through a written statement
as MPs left Westminster for the summer.

Campaigners claim the role of the North Yorkshire
base will mark the UK out as a target, despite
ministers' insistence the plan would "build future
protection for our citizens".

The latest report from the foreign affairs select
committee attacked the "manner and timing" of the
announcement and demanded to know when the
actual decision was taken.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uklatest/story/0,,-7101340,00.html

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Source: BBC News

Last Updated: Sunday, 25 November 2007, 11:38 GMT

Missile plan sneaked out, say MPs

Plans to use an RAF base for a US ballistic missile
defence system were sneaked out by ministers and
should be debated in Parliament, MPs have said.

The Foreign Affairs Select Committee criticised the
way plans were announced as MPs left Westminster
for the summer.

The RAF base at Menwith Hill in North Yorkshire will
host a tracking system linked to US satellites and
interceptor missiles based outside the UK.

Committee chairman Mike Gapes MP accused
ministers of evading debate.

-snip-

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7111523.stm

[DiscussTed]

1. Menwith Hill has always been a target

I worked there briefly in the 1980s. In a thermonuclear war it would be a priority target because of its concentration of intelligence gathering technology and strategic location. Adding a new tracking system will be spit in the bucket relative to what has been there for decades.

Nearby, RAF Fylingdales is also a prime target as it is part of the Ballistic Missile Early Warning System (BMEWS). Any missile launched in Eastern Europe, Russia or SW Asia would first be detected by satellite and then confirmed by BMEWS to give the US and/or UK time to launch a counter attack.