SCUTTLING MISSILE DEFENSE IN A DANGEROUS WORLD

Ellen Sauerbrey

On September 17, 1939, Russia invaded Poland and ironically today, seventy years later, the Obama administration rewarded Russia by caving in to its demands regarding the European phase of our anti-ballistic missile defense program. The plan, negotiated by the Bush Administration with two loyal Eastern European allies, was expected to place a ground based interceptor site in Poland and tracking radar on a site in the Czech Republic.

Jan Firscher, Interim Czech Prime Minister told reporters that "Just after midnight I was informed in a telephone call by President Barack Obama that (his) administration had decided to pull out from the planned missile defense shield installations" . This is not only a blow to our comprehensive U.S. anti-ballistic missile program and to European security, but a major betrayal of two allies who took a significant political risk in their relationship with Russia. Once again, the U.S. is demonstrating to friends that we are a very undependable ally, and this time to two countries that have faithfully stood with us in the War on Terror.

Recognizing the importance of continuing to develop our missile defense program, The Heritage Foundation produced a powerful documentary called “33 MINUTES” and has held numerous showings around the country to educate Americans to the threat and the technical feasibility of missile defense. The title “33 minutes” refers to the length of time it takes from the launching of a ballistic missile from Iran or North Korea, possibly armed with nuclear or biological weapons, to reach a U.S city.

We live in a very dangerous world in which rogue nations like North Korea and Iran are not only developing dangerous weapon systems but may supply them to non-state terrorist networks. Iranian President Mahmoud Adhadinejad has frequently told us of his “desirable and achievable” goal to bring about “a world without America”. In August, it was reported that intelligence sources believe that Iran has the technology to build and detonate a nuclear weapon and within six months could assemble and deliver one on Iran’s existing ballistic missile.

Another threat comes from the capability of this technology being provided to a terrorist to launch a nuclear armed missile into space high above America from a fishing boat off our coast. This would inflict catastrophic damage on this country through an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack. The result of this little discussed danger would be to virtually fry the U.S. electric grid and every piece of electronic equipment, disrupting telecommunications, water, food, sanitation and virtually all basic human needs. Yet a naïve Administration in Washington is putting the country at greater risk by slashing our defenses.

Missile defense technology has proven very effective but the entire system is far from completed. The $8 billion dollars budgeted for the program this year, just a tiny part of the defense budget, has been cut by $1.4 billion, with additional cuts down the road a real possibility.

Many Americans are suffering shock and stress over the decimation of our free market economy. Too few are focused on the catastrophic danger we face by neglecting or decimating our missile defense systems.

The nuclear club continues to grow and many countries now have both nuclear and ballistic missile capability. In 33 minutes, life as we know it could end. All it takes is one missile launched from thousands of miles away at an American city and President Obama will either have the capability to destroy it or to issue apologies to the families of the dead.