After a rough month, President Obama scored a badly needed success in Lisbon yesterday when NATO leaders agreed to a long held US desire to establish a missile-defense shield that will ultimately cover all member states. Two major stumbling blocks were overcome when Turkey dropped its objections after receiving assurances that Iran would not be named as a principle threat and Russia softened its long-term opposition, reports the New York Times.
Moscow will be formally invited today to take part in the system's development, even though it is not a member state. Leaders also agreed on the first broad new strategic doctrine since 1999. The document seeks to explain to member states' citizens why NATO still matters in a post-Cold-War world, notes the Times.
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