August 29, 2006 :: Washington Times :: Analysis
A more robust missile defense system will blunt the effects of North Korean and Iranian “fear us” campaigns, writes Austin Bay in
The Washington Times. He explains how the rise of rogue states and terrorist organizations, combined with the proliferation of ballistic missiles and weapons of mass destruction, has effectively nullified the Cold War-era doctrine of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD), although MAD remains a driving force in Washington. Bay offers Hezbollah’s rocket attacks on northern Israel as a chilling example of how a non-state actor can willingly sacrifice its own people and neighborhoods in the pursuit of its goals. In the absence of a robust and credible missile defense, he writes, the U.S. will grow increasingly vulnerable to ballistic and cruise missile attack from these entities. The U.S. will likewise grow increasingly vulnerable to “fear us” campaigns and other forms of political manipulation by these rogue states and terrorist organizations, who are quickly learning that U.S. strategic culture remains tied to a defunct doctrine that assumes rationality on all sides.
(Article)
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