March 23, 2006 :: Washington Times :: Analysis
James T. Hackett summarizes the state of U.S. ballistic missile defense in
The Washington Times, 23 years to the day after President Regan initiated the Strategic Defense Initiative. Although the need to protect the nation against nuclear missiles has taken a back seat to the fight against Al-Qaeda and military operations in Iraq, the need for missile defense is as strong as ever. Iran, North Korea, and China all represent substantial threats, as well as terrorist organizations such as those operating inside Pakistan. Yet Hackett notes the U.S. is moving forward with its deployment and development projects, most notably the ground-based midcourse defense deployed in Alaska and California, as well as the Aegis sea-based defense. Moreover, he notes that BMD is on the rise worldwide: Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Australia, Israel, Turkey, India, Kuwait and other Persian Gulf sheikdoms have or plan to obtain missile defenses. Thus, “the effort Ronald Reagan started is now beginning to defend the country.”
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