Is Missile Defense A Failure?

The Failures of Missile Defense -- Philip Coyle, National Interest

Two recent scientific assessments of U.S. missile-defense efforts show that these programs are chasing scientific dead ends, unworkable concepts and a flawed overall architecture.

One assessment is the “Defense Science Board (DSB) Task Force Report on the Science and Technology Issues of Early Intercept Missile Defense Feasibility”; the other is a report by the National Research Council (NRC) of the National Academy of Sciences, “Making Sense of Missile Defense.”

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My Comment: Not a reassuring post on missile defense.

Why Is The U.S. Providing Russia With Sensitive Missile Defense Technology?

Russian President Medvedev and U.S. President Obama. Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

Giving Away the Farm -- R. James Woolsey & Rebeccah Heinrichs, Foreign Policy

The Obama administration is freely giving Russia sensitive information about missile defense that weakens U.S. national security.

President Barack Obama's administration recently threatened to veto the defense budget, citing "serious concerns" over provisions that limit the U.S. missile defense know-how that the White House is permitted to share with Moscow. This is the sort of information that Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, in his earlier days, would have assigned his spies to steal. Through its single-minded pursuit of "resetting" relations with Russia, the Obama administration may simply be willing to hand over this information and, in doing so, weaken U.S. national security.

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My Comment: It is a question of priorities .... and as as long as I can remember .... for many Democrats missile defense has always been on the bottom of their list of priorities. The fact that this mindset is now being implemented into policy .... why should we be surprised?

Is The U.S. Conducting Secret Negotiations To Do Away With Missile Defense?

Missile Defense -- IBD Editorial

National Security: There seems to be only one thing White House arms negotiators want more than a reduction in U.S. nuclear weapons — a reduction in U.S. missile defenses to protect us from such weapons.

The Washington Times' Bill Gertz reports that U.S. diplomats are secretly negotiating with Russia to link nuclear arms reduction to limits on our anti-missile defenses.

As Gertz points out, "Pro-arms-control officials within the administration dislike missile defenses, viewing them as an impediment to offensive arms agreements."

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Previous Post: No Secret Deals Done For START

My Comment: It appears that the rumors are becoming true.

Past And Present Politics On The Space Program And National Security -- A Commentary

Space Wars: Circa 1959 To 2010 -- Bryan Demko, American Thinker

I noted with interest President Obama's April 16 visit to Cape Kennedy to rally the "workers". Certain reports have it that there were few in any "workers" invited to hear the speech. There did seem to be a lot of applause from people who were about to lose their jobs. Then on April 22 I noted the launch of an Atlas/X-37 "space plane" combination on a "secret" mission.

Had I seen this before? The Atlas/X-37 stirred my memory. In June of 1959 the Eisenhower administration awarded a contract to Boeing for a project called Dyna-Soar. This also was an Atlas/Space Plane combination very closely resembling the current configuration. The intended offensive purpose of the 1959 system sounds remarkably similar to the theories put forth for the X37. Also remarkable is the involvement of the same contractor & booster.

But is there a more over-riding theme in both of these events?

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My Comment: Technology changes with time, but Washington politics stays the same .... especially with this administration.

The Elimination of European Missile Defense .... Some Comments

BMEWS solid-state phased-array radar at RAF Fylindales.

Missile Mystery -- Newsweek

The missile-defense shield was a fantasy to begin with. So why did Russia and Eastern Europe obsess over it?

Barack Obama has finally called time on the Bush administration's controversial plan to build a missile-defense shield in Eastern Europe. The announcement caused widespread consternation. The Czechs and the Poles, who had hoped that the system would somehow protect them against Russian aggression, were appalled. (The Polish prime minister refused to take a call from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton informing him of the decision.) Conservative Americans, who counted on the missile shield to contain Iranian missiles, decried Obama’s move as dangerous, or even treasonous. Only Russia, which believed that the system would somehow impair their ability to use their own nuclear missiles, was delighted. The real question, though, isn't whether Obama is right or wrong about the system's efficacy. (He's obviously right.) The real question why everybody cares so much. How did a piece of technology years from reality work its way to the center of so many diplomatic crises?

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My Comment: When President Reagan first announced the SDI (Strategic Defense Initiative) program in the 1980s, critics of the program quickly labeled it as fantasy and/or cowboy politics. It was Senator Kennedy and his colleagues who coined the term .... Star Wars .... and all the pundits at the time called such a program a waste of money and totally unrealistic. 25 years later .... Newsweek is saying exactly the same thing.

What Newsweek ignores is that this fantasy became reality after a decade of research and development. The Aegis system is probably the biggest accomplishment of this program, and is now an essential element to our defense. It is also the program that President Obama is touting as the means to protect us against Iranian missile proliferation.

My problem with the decision that was made yesterday was the absence of consultation with our allies on what was going to happen. The White House made a review, realized that it would not fit into its commitments to improving U.S. - Russian relations, and then made the decision to wipe out the program. No debate in Congress. No discussion with our allies. No input from outside experts. No media coverage. This was a unilateral decision done with the outcome decided months ago. A pure political move with .... as far as I can tell .... no quid pro quo from Russia.

What is infuriating is that the alternatives that President Obama is talking about our just ideas on a piece of paper. There has been no feasibility studies. No examination on the consequences of installing radar systems in Turkey or Israel?!?!? No laying the groundwork for getting the necessary political support from these countries that would permit these systems .... nothing .... nada ... no work or planning to do work has even been proposed.

Yesterday's decision means that more money is going to be spent. More time will be lost. And we are now going to have an outcome that we are not sure about.

What I do know is that we have distanced ourselves from our allies. We have embolden hard core radicals in Moscow who have no interest in accomodating any of our interests. We appear lost and confused in the eyes of our allies .... and weak in front of our enemies.

I am witnessing amateur hour at the White House .... which is suprising because I know that President Obama can do much better.

21st Century Threats -- A Commentary

Photo: U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas

From Defense News:

'Unproven Technology' Lays Basis for Missile Defense.

On April 5, North Korea launched a missile - and sent the world a wake-up call.

Ballistic missiles in the hands of rogue states, potentially armed with weapons of mass destruction, remain one of the most serious security threats of the 21st century. Change of administrations in Washington does not change this strategic imperative: Free nations must defend themselves from ballistic missile attack through robust and layered missile defense capabilities.

North Korea's launch continues a ballistic missile development program that is now four decades old, and which many believe is the most advanced in the developing world. North Korea's Taepo Dong-2 long-range missile has the potential capability to strike Hawaii, Alaska and possibly the West Coast of the United States.

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My Comment: A good commentary of support for America's Missile Defense program from a well known and influential Republican Senator.

U.S. Will Now Bargain With Russia Over European Missile Defense

Photo: An SM-3 missile interceptor is launched from the Japanese destroyer Kongo in the Pacific Ocean on Monday. The interceptor destroyed a dummy ballistic missile in a test. Japanese MOD via Reuters

From Westhawk:

The Obama administration has elected to bargain with Russia over the future of the U.S. missile defense project, which is (was) to be installed in Poland and the Czech Republic. According to this article in Friday’s New York Times, William Burns, currently U.S. Under-secretary of State for Political Affairs and formerly U.S. ambassador to Russia, will lead the U.S. negotiations in Moscow.

What does the U.S. hope to get out this concession to Russia? The New York Times article explains:

Plans for the shield have contributed to a deterioration in the relationship between the United States and Russia over the past few years, but the administration of President Obama has said it wants to press the “reset button” and build better relations with Moscow.

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My Comment: Westahwk's commentary is excellent. A must read.