Cruz: Obama is squandering ‘hard-won Cold War victory’

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said President Obama’s lack of priorities has lost former President Reagan’s Cold-War victory through missile defense. 

Cruz said Russian President Vladimir Putin wouldn’t stop after invading part of Ukraine and that the United States can do little about it thanks to Obama.

{mosads}“Today [Putin’s] sights are set on Ukraine, but if he continues undeterred tomorrow it could be Estonia, Latvia, Moldova, Romania, the Czech Republic, or Poland,” Cruz said Wednesday. “Meeting his challenge now with strength, not appeasement, would be the best way to ensure that this does not happen, and that we do not squander our hard-won Cold War victory over the Soviets.”

Cruz said because Obama has not made the missile defense program in Europe a “priority” to project won’t be complete in time to potentially make a difference according to a recent Government Accountability Office report.

“It provides the depressing assessment that what missile defense programs we still have planned in Europe are going to be delayed to the tune of years because of technological glitches and cost overruns — a failure that would not have been tolerated if missile defense was a priority for the Commander in Chief,” Cruz said. “This report could not have come at a more inopportune time, but perhaps it can serve as a wake-up call that President Obama’s policies on both Russia and missile defense have collapsed and should be immediately reversed.”

Cruz said Obama should immediately withdraw from the treaty with Russia aimed at reducing nuclear weapon stockpiles and accelerate the construction of the missile defense instillation in Europe.

When the Senate returns next week, senators are expected to consider a bill that places sanctions against Russian leaders and provides aid to Ukraine. Lawmakers hope U.S. sanctions against Russia will be a non-military fix to the situation.