Issue Position: War on Terror/Homeland Security - National Missile Defense

Issue Position

Congressman Mica, what is ballistic missile defense and do you support the plan?

The first United States deployment of a missile defense system was designed as a shield to protect offensive ground missiles at Grand Forks Air Base, ND in October 1975. This short lived system was designed to safeguard our offensive capabilities; however, it soon grew into a much larger, more complex system of national defense.

Soon after President Reagan took office, he layed out a vision for the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) to protect the United States from the growing threat of nuclear attack. In June 1984, shortly after the President's announcement, the Army successfully conducted its first hit-to-kill test. Throughout the remainder of the Reagan Administration testing continued but full deployment of the system was not realized.

President George H.W. Bush came into office and in June 1989 advocated expanding the Strategic Defense Initiative to include development of several thousand satellite-launched missiles. These missiles would be capable of defending against incoming warheads from space. By March 1990, President Bush scaled back his space proposal and continued investment in a ground-based missile defense system as well as shorter-range "theater" missile defenses. These systems became the first generation of Patriot Missiles rushed into service during the Gulf War.

In July 1998, then former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld led a commission which concluded that North Korea and Iran may be able to field intercontinental missiles within five years. According to a recent news account, several major milestones were met in that same year by rogue nations seeking seeking strong offensive weapons capabilites:

* Pakistan successfully tested a medium-range ballistic missile on April 6, 1998.

* On May 1, 1998, it was reported that 13 of China's 14 nuclear ballistic missiles were targeted at America.

* On May 11 and 18, 1998, India detonated five nuclear devices.

* On May 28, 1998, Pakistan conduscted five nuclear teasts.

* On June 16th North Korea announced that it would continue developing and selling ballistic missiles.

* Iran successfully tested a medium-range ballistic missile on July 22, 1998.

* On August 31, 1998, North Korea test-fired a three-stage medium-range ballistic missile over Japan

In the face of these threats, the incoming Administration of George W. Bush pledged to renew the goal of deploying a national missile defense system. Full testing resumed with the goal of deploying an initial system to guard the west coast against North Korea and China. On July 22, 2004, the first anti-missile interceptor was installed in its silo at Fort Greely, Alaska. Currently, the Administration is planning on deploying 40 interceptors in three locations by 2009 in Alaska, California and an undetermined location (most likely somewhere in Eastern Europe).

Missile defense has grown into a strategy designed to protect both our homeland and the battlefield. The military has deployed theater air defense systems, modern versions of the Patriot Missile, sea-based missile defense and high powered radar and tracking systems to first detect and then destroy any incoming threats. These systems were highly effective in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom and are vital to winning the overall War on Terrorism.

I strongly believe that national defense is one of the top requirements for the federal government to provide its citizens. In Congress, I have supported President Bush's initiatives and will continue to support full deployment of national missile defense. The threats posed by terrorists will only increase if they become capable of launching intercontinental ballistic missiles. As we have seen, several nations have already demonstrated that they are willing to sell these components to anyone.

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