Missile Defense Needed Now More Than Ever

Cal Thomas | Syndicated columnist | Published: Dec 17, 2002

Missile Defense Needed Now More Than Ever

President Bush has decided to begin deploying a nationwide anti-missile defense system, starting in 2004.

It’s about time!

It was President Ronald Reagan who first announced his dream of a shield against missiles from rogue nations in 1983. The Left immediately derisively dubbed the proposed system "Star Wars," because liberals believed it to be a fantasy.

Now, with terrorists and nations like North Korea and China who have the capability and have made threats to strike our territory, a missile shield is more needed now than ever.

The development plan reportedly calls for placing 10 ground-based interceptor missiles at fort Greeley, Alaska, by 2004 and an additional 10 interceptors by 2005 or 2006.

The system will provide the U.S. with a limited defense against long-range missile threats, but limited is better than nothing at all. The interceptors will be guided by a global network of radars and sensors that will identify and track long-range missiles.

Technology will increase even faster in the years to come and it may provide for even better defense systems. But we should get started on this right away and the president is making the right move.

I’m Cal Thomas in Washington.

Missile Defense Needed Now More Than Ever