Bush: Opponents of Missile Defense “Living in the Past”
August 17, 2004 :: Washington Post :: News
Days after John Kerry affirmed that he would substantially cut missile defense funding, President Bush spoke of the need for missile defense at a defense plant in Pennsylvania, by charging that opponents of missile defense are “living in the past.”
Bush described the initial limited system which will become operational this fall, as “the beginning of a missile defense system that was envisioned by Ronald Reagan—a system necessary to protect us against the threats of the 21st century.” In fact, however, it is much more modest, and would defend only against certain threats from rogue nations, and would not provide a defense against Russian or Chinese missiles, even accidental or unauthorized launches. Bush continued, saying that, “I think those who oppose this ballistic missile system really don’t understand the threats of the 21st century. They’re living in the past. We’re living in the future. We’re going to do what’s necessary to protect this country.”
The Kerry campaign responded with a statement, that that “despite this Administration’s near obsession with missile defense, the greatest threat facing our homeland comes from terrorists who would do us harm.”
Of course, terrorists too can acquire ballistic missiles, and the launch of a short range missile from a ship off an American coast requires not only the Alaskan system, but a much more robust and layered defense. The midcourse interceptors to be deployed in Alaska are but the first step. (Article, Link)
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Kerry Would Cut Missile Defense Spending
August 16, 2004 :: Bloomberg :: News
Presidential candidate John Kerry’s recently released platform statement, “New Military to Meet New Threats,” confirms that a Kerry presidency would be committed to “reducing total expenditures on missile defense.” (Article, Link)
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President Bush Signs Defense Bill, With 10 Billion for Missile Defense
August 5, 2004 :: The White House :: News
President Bush today signed a $391 billion dollar defense appropriations bill for fiscal 2005, which included some 10 billion dollars for ballistic missile defense. The level of funding is comparable to that of last year. His signing comments included the following:
This bill provides $10 billion for systems to defend against the threat from ballistic missiles. Later this year, the first components of America’s missile defense system will become operational. This will fulfill a pledge I made to the American people more than four years ago. America and our allies face a deadly threat from ballistic missiles armed with the world’s most dangerous weapons. And we will deploy the technologies necessary to protect our people.
(Article, Link)
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Naval Version of PAC-3 Under Consideration
July 29, 2004 :: Geostrategy-Direct :: News
A Naval version of the PAC-3 missile defense system is currently under consideration, with a study being done by the Pentagon of its feasibility. Such an interceptor would be capable of being mounted on Aegis ships, and be integrated with the Aegis radar and tracking systems. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Policy, Sea-Based Systems
» Missile system details for: Aegis Ship-Based BMD, Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3)
Eighty Three Percent of Florida Voters Favor Missile Defense
July 22, 2004 :: Yahoo News :: News
An overwhelming majority, 83%, of likely Florida voters are in favor of ballistic missile defense, notes a recent statewide poll sponsored by the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance. In addition, some 66% of the 600 people polled believe that a missile defense system should be deployed now; 74% believe the cost of missile defense is money well spent; and 66% would be more likely to vote for a candidate who strongly supports missile defense.
Such considerations may well be relevant to the upcoming presidential elections. (Article, Link)
» MDAA website
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First Booster Delivered to Greely
June 29, 2004 :: News
The first booster for the Ground Based Interceptors has been delivered to Fort Greely Alaska. The missile was flown from Vandenburg Air Force Base, and will be assembled in Alaska. Still needing to be fully assembled, it will be the first missile deployed, and put on alert. (Article, Link)
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» Missile system details for: Ground-Based Interceptor (GBI), Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD)
Statement by MDA on President Ronald Reagan
June 21, 2004 :: The Missile Defense Agency :: News
The Missile Defense Agency released a statement praising the late President Ronald Reagan for his courageous efforts in support of ballistic missile defense. (More »»»)
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Kyl: BMD Essential to Homeland Security
June 20, 2004 :: Analysis
Arizona Senator Jon Kyl points out that, far from being tangential to America’s national security, missile defense is essential, indeed “at the heart of homeland security.” Kyl writes as proponents of vulnerability in both the House and Senate attempt, by means of amendment, to slash funding for vital missile defense programs. (Article, Link)
» Kyl applauds defeat of anti-missile defense budget amendments
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Kerry: Cut Missile Defense
June 4, 2004 :: Washington Times :: News
Presidential candidate John Kerry has pledged that, if he were president, he would moderately increase the size of the armed forces, which would be paid for by cutting still further funds for missile defense. More attention should rather be given to prevent small, asymmetrical, attacks such as anthrax, “instead of over-relying on weapons and tactics to fight the battles of the past.”
But if concern with strategic vulnerability is a matter of “the past,” no one seems to have told the foreign leaders of the many rogue nations, or indeed that of China, who continue to put a high priority on the continued modernization and advancement of their ballistic missile arsenals.
Kerry’s comments parallel the response China gave this past week to the Defense Department’s annual report to Congress, Military Power of the People’s Republic of China. China accused the Pentagon of holding on to Cold War thinking, by emphasizing China’s own ambitions to deploying some 30 nuclear armed ICBMs capable of striking the United States by 2005—a number which is expected to rise to 60 by the end of the decade. (Article, Link)
» June 1, 2004: China accuses US China report of “Cold War mentality”
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Moran on Kerry’s Record Against Missile Defense
June 2, 2004 :: National Review Online :: Analysis
Robert Moran, writing at National Review Online, documents a few of the many times presidential candidate John Kerry has opposed missile defense. His recent speech saying that the United States must do everything it can to prevent nuclear terrorism will be a tough sell, given his record.
Also worth noting, however, is that John Kerry has devoted some considerable time to the subject of missile defense, and making sure the United States does not deploy one. On May 1, 2001, President Bush gave one of his most important speeches on missile defense, outlining why the United States should, and would, withdraw from the outdated ABM Treaty of 1972, which made missile defense illegal. On the very next day, Kerry responded with a long and articulate response, about the need to preserve the ABM Treaty. The long and short of it was the need to preserve mutually assured destruction. (More »»»)
» May 1, 2001: President Bush at National Defense University
» May 2, 2001: John Kerry’s response to Bush
» Other major speeches on missile defense
» More stories on: ABM Treaty, Analysis, Policy
