SOLVENCY: NMD SYSTEM COULD BE EASILY ADOPTED

HOW A NEW NMD SYSTEM SHOULD BE ADOPTED

POLICY PROPOSALS FOR A NEW APPROACH

To begin the process of deploying a missile defense system for America in the near term, President Bush should:

* Affirm America's decision to deploy a missile defense system. The National Missile Defense Act of 1999 mandates the deployment of a missile defense system to protect U.S. territory "as soon as is technologically possible." The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1996 mandates missile defenses to protect U.S. forward-deployed forces and allies against shorter-range missiles. The new President should make clear that he will fulfill the requirements of these laws by announcing the decision to deploy both national and theater missile defense systems to provide a global missile defense capability as soon as possible.

* Define for Americans the strategic purposes and capabilities of a global missile defense system. Having affirmed the decision to deploy a global missile defense system, the President should then describe both the basic purposes and capabilities of such a system. The purposes include both defense and deterrence. It is axiomatic that the basic purpose of a global missile defense system is to defend the territories of the United States and its allies. This includes a defense against missiles that are launched by design, by accident, or without authorization.

WE CAN BUILD AN EFFECTIVE NATIONAL MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM IN FOUR YEARS AT REASONABLE COSTS -- THE DELAYS ARE POLITICAL

Herb Berkowitz,The Christian Science Monitor August 16, 1999, Pg. 8 HEADLINE: A US missile defense system is affordable // lnu-acs

Scientists are confident we can build an effective missile defense at an affordable cost - and deploy the system in four years or less. Politics is holding this up, not technology. It's time to end the needless delays.

NMD CAN GO ONLINE IN 2005

Simon Tisdall January 13, 2001 The Guardian (London) SECTION: Guardian Home Pages, Pg. 3 HEADLINE: US Military expansion: Fear of attack triggers arms build-up: Rogue states identified in attempt to boost spending //VT2002acsln

Response: The report outlines an escalating American response to WMD proliferation ranging from improved training and protective equipment for US forces based abroad and the arming of allies such as Israel and Taiwan to ballistic missile defence (BMD).

"The NMD programme is tasked to develop, demonstrate and if ordered to do so, deploy an NMD system to defend all 50 states against limited strategic ballistic missile attacks from a country of proliferation concern," the report states. If NMD is deployed, "the department of defence expects to achieve initial operating capability (IOC) shortly after 2005".