Final Word from Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Stanislav Gross told LN that the ČSSD government started consultations with the U.S. on radar around the end of 2000 or start of 2001. He had two apparent goals in dropping this bombshell: First, to harm current ČSSD Chair Jiří Paroubek, who has refused to accept that ČSSD started the radar talks. And second, to ingratiate himself to the Americans by supporting the radar so that their money-laundering squad wouldn't look into the source of funds for his Florida love nest. In the end, though, Gross might have done the Americans a disservice. By admitting that the secret talks started in early 2001 at the latest, he inadvertently let slip that the U.S. was violating the spirit of the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty with Russia, which specifically banned such radar. The U.S. didn't decide to pull out of the treaty until Dec. 2001. The U.S. used 9/11 to justify canceling the treaty, but the radar talks - according to Stan - began months before 9/11 ever occurred.[Czech Republic missile defense agency United States of America Soviet Union Lidové noviny housing scandal ABM]
Glossary of difficult words
bombshell - an overwhelming surprise (or disappointment);
Stanislav Gross - former ČSSD interior minister; later ČSSD chairman and prime minister; forced to resign because of a housing scandal;
to ingratiate oneself to someone - to bring oneself into someone's favor by flattering or trying to please the person;
love nest - a place where two lovers spend time together;
disservice - a harmful action;
inadvertently - not resulting from or achieved through deliberate planning;
to let something slip - to reveal something inadvertently in the course of a conversation;
spirit (as opposed to letter) - the intention, essence or substance (but not the strict verbal interpretation).