Some people suggest we can fix budget problems by cutting defense. That’s not true, but unpopular wars tempt politicians to suggest defense cuts. If the world were safe and would always stay safe, we would not need national defense. But that’s fairyland thinking.
Some suggest dropping our missile defense programs. Yet 32 countries have ballistic missile capabilities, and nine have nuclear weapons. Iran is trying to go nuclear; North Korea keeps expanding the range of its missiles; and China keeps trying to assert control over more and more of the world.
The risk of a future nuclear missile attack is only going to get worse. We still don’t have a system that would protect the American homeland. Dropping our missile defense development would be like a family that cancels all of their insurance policies. It’s a chance we should not take.
From The Heritage Foundation, I’m Ernest Istook.