Bush regime looking to use Iran to justify restarting Star Wars boondoggle

[bigtree]

U.S. seeks antimissile shield to block Iran

By Michael R. Gordon The New York Times
MONDAY, MAY 22, 2006
http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/05/22/news/missile.php

WASHINGTON As tensions grow over Iran's nuclear program, the Bush administration is moving to establish a new antimissile site in Europe that would be designed to stop attacks from the Middle East.

The plan for a new antimissile site against Iranian missiles is the latest chapter in the saga of the U.S. missile defense program, which began with President Ronald Reagan's expansive vision of a space-based antimissile shield.

"As far as we can tell," said Gary Samore, vice president of the MacArthur Foundation and a former aide on the National Security Council, "Iran is many years away from having the capability to deliver a military strike against the U.S. If they made a political decision to seriously pursue a space launch vehicle, it would take them a decade or more to develop the capability to launch against the U.S."

Still, Iran has long seen ballistic missiles as an important weapon. Iran fired Scud missiles at Baghdad and Kirkuk during its war with Iraq and later embarked on an effort to secure additional missiles and missile technology from foreign suppliers, including North Korea.

Iran's Shahab-3, a liquid-fueled missile based on North Korea's No-dong missile, has the range to hit Israel, Turkey and other countries in the region.

article: http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/05/22/news/missile.php