Missile defence may tie US to Iraq and Afghanistan

[Norquist Nemesis]

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_6-9-2004_pg7_33

WASHINGTON: A key component of national missile defence, whose development is receiving priority this year, is likely to strategically tie the United States to Iraq, Afghanistan and some of the authoritarian former Soviet republics, requiring permanent US military bases there, according to officials and scientists involved in the project.

The attractiveness of boost phase interceptors lies in their ability to shoot down ascending missiles, whose massive heat signature makes them easier targets, before they release their multiple warheads.

Some serious money is beginning to pour in. The development budget is projected to more than quadruple this October — from the current 118 million dollars to 511 million, according to congressional officials..

The growth rate will be almost as impressive in subsequent years: from 1.1 billion dollars in 2006 to 2.2 billion in 2009. Flight testing, say defence officials, is slated for fiscal 2010.

<snip>

Interesting...

[burrowowl]

1. What idiocy!

And our troops will have to defend the defence facilities which are worthless.

[DerBeppo]

2. well, not completely.

if they're able to hit the missles as they're launching, which is much easier, then there's quite a bit of strategic worth.

[punpirate]

3. Tripe.

There's no evidence of any system, in testing now or on the drawing boards, that can do burn-phase destruction.

This is yet another excuse to keep troops in the Middle East.

In fact, there are prior agreements for basing in Turkey to accomplish this, if the technology were available, which it isn't.

On edit, it's yet more excuse to spend additional billions on a space-based offensive system, which the Air Force has wanted for decades. Completely destabilizing.

Pure shit. Disinformation. Lies.

Cheers.

[Kool Kitty]

5. No there isn't.

No worth in this system, which DOES NOT WORK. This is a lie, it will not keep us safe. IT. DOES. NOT. WORK.

[T Bone]

6. so derbeppo believes it's easier because WHO says it's easier ?

It easier to hit a launching missle because someone says so? How much is the testing alone going to cost? So let me get this straight another way.

We have not tested and succeeded in kncoking down a newly launched missle, but we have secured bases in Iraq and Afghanistan for this purpose. Which is to defeat a missle launched from where? De-fanged Russia that can't keep Chechens with machine guns out of a day school?

ok.

This is malarky justification for a middle east Security Empire.

[alittlelark]

4. I am sick of the LOOTING

I care not who are the parties in cahoots!!! I care about how WE, The PEOPLE can stop this LOOTING.

[VolcanoJen]

7. Dupe... locking

Please continue discussion within the original LBN thread on this topic, which can be found here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x803523

Thanks!

VolcanoJen
DU Moderator