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  • Missile Defense

    Lessons Learned From US Withdrawal from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty

    Ten years ago tomorrow, the United States formally withdrew from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, which has defined strategic thinking for about 30 years. On Wednesday, The Heritage Foundation will host an event commemorating the 10th anniversary of the withdrawal from the treaty. The treaty banned the United States and the … More

    On Missile Defense, Russian Paranoia Trumps Reality

    Yesterday Nikolai Korchunov, Russia’s acting representative to NATO, had an article in The New York Times about NATO’s Ballistic Missile Defense entitled: “You Say Defense, We See Threat.” Unfortunately, Korchunov did not elaborate on how NATO’s Ballistic Missile Defense system is an actual threat to Russia. NATO leaders have said … More

    Don’t Skimp on South Korean Missile Range

    On June 6, the House Foreign Affairs Asian Subcommittee will focus its attention on “What’s Next for the U.S.–Korea Alliance?” Experts agree that the bilateral relationship is very strong—perhaps in the best condition it has ever been. This is due to both nations sharing common values of freedom, democracy, and … More

    Debunking Claims Against Missile Defense

    The Fiscal Times recently published a hit piece attacking defense contractors who build ballistic missile defense (BMD) systems and the Members of Congress who support them. The three most egregious claims of the piece are as follows: 1. The system doesn’t work. 2. There is no threat. 3. Members of … More

    MEADS Development Crucial to U.S. Defense

    Former Representative Bob Barr’s (R–GA) criticism of the Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS) anti-aircraft and missile program is understandable but misplaced. Representative Barr, quite reasonably, points to the Obama Administration’s plan to continue spending money on this cooperative program with Germany and Italy despite an announcement early last year … More

    Missile Defense: Problems with an Assurance to Russia

    In today’s Wall Street Journal, Steven Pifer responded to Senator Jon Kyl’s (R–AZ) op-ed that argued that President Obama should refuse to provide written assurances to Russia that compromise America’s ability to defend itself. Pifer’s complaint with the Senate Republican Whip’s argument is that “an assurance could open a path … More

    NATO to Declare Interim European Missile Defense Capability

    During the NATO meeting in Chicago, the alliance will declare that it has an interim operational capability to defend itself against ballistic missile attacks. This is a major step forward for NATO and U.S. leadership within the alliance. The declaration marks the achievement of the first phase in the Obama … More

    NATO and Missile Defense: Words in a Summit Declaration Will Not Be Enough

    When NATO leaders meet this weekend in Chicago, they are expected to announce an Interim Missile Defense Capability in Europe. This announcement might read well in the summit’s declaration, but a lot more will need to be done before the members of the alliance will be protected from the ever-increasing … More

    Kyl: “Obama May Be ‘Flexible.’ But the U.S. Owes Russia Nothing.”

    In his recent piece in The Wall Street Journal, Senator Jon Kyl (R–AZ) makes the case that the United States should not give Russian President Vladimir Putin guarantees, political or legal, that a U.S. missile defense system will not be effective against Russian missiles. President Obama recently indicated he will … More

    U.S. House Considering East Coast Missile Defense

    According to press reports, the House Armed Services Committee has preserved a provision in its draft of annual defense legislation that would place ballistic missile defense interceptors on the East Coast to defend U.S. territory more effectively against ballistic missile attacks, including short-range missiles carrying electromagnetic pulse (EMP) warheads that … More