by Robert G. Gard and John Isaacs On March 23, 1983, President Ronald Reagan revived the effort, first launched in the 1950s, to defend the United States against an inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM) attack by producing a “shield that could protect us from nuclear missiles just as a roof protects a family from rain.” He called […]
Excessive Claims for Missile Defense
by Robert G. Gard In his article “Missile Defense Hits the Mark: Increasing Success Undermines Critics” (Defense News, July 23, 2007), Lt. Gen. Henry Obering, director of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA), carries the traditional and laudable “can-do” attitude of the military too far. He claims an operational capability, yet to be demonstrated, for […]
National Missile Defense in Europe: Premature and Unwise
by Robert G. Gard The Bush Administration has announced its intention to build a national missile defense complex in Europe to supplement current deployments of the system’s components, including interceptor sites based in Alaska and California. This decision is premature, misguided, wasteful of billions of dollars, and damaging to U.S. relationships with our European allies […]
Euro-BMD Bad for U.S.
by Robert G. Gard Published in United Press International on June 22, 2007 The Bush administration has announced its intention to build a national missile defense complex in Europe to supplement current deployments of the system’s components, including interceptor sites in Alaska and California. This decision is premature, misguided, wasteful of billions of dollars and […]
The High Cost of a Low Priority Program: $18 Billion for Missile Defense in 2016
by Robert G. Gard and John Isaacs November 15, 2006 The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that spending for the missile defense system will peak at $18 billion in 2016, three years later than last year’s estimate due to further delays in the program, including $3 billion in “cost risks.” This new estimate is contained in […]
