The Australian: Star Wars Armed and Accurate

The Australian ^ | October 10, 2005 | Greg Sheridan

[SirJohnBarleycorn]

The US missile defence program, initially written off by sceptics as a waste of money and effort, can already intercept and destroy a North Korean ballistic missile aimed at the US mainland.

On a brief visit to Australia, US Missile Defence Agency director Henry Obering said the program already had nine missile interceptors between California and Alaska.

The system is mainly being configured to cope with missiles launched from North Korea or the Middle East, but it will ultimately have the ability to cope with missiles from anywhere. Australia is deeply involved in the program as one of just four nations with full missile defence co-operation agreements with the US. The others are Britain, Japan and Italy.

[SirJohnBarleycorn]

We have one George W. Bush to thank for pulling out of the ABM treaty.

[SJSAMPLE]

That, and the fact that the other signatory (the USSR) had ceased to exist ;)

[Maelstrom]

North Korea gives a crap about any treaty??

The Middle Eastern terrorists are going to follow an ABM treaty??

What are you smoking...it's gotta be really hard stuff.

[Ninian Dryhope]

I was always for missile defense and skeptical of the leftists who were against it. If it was such a waste of our money, why were the Russians and Chinese against it? If it were truly a waste of money and so easy to overcome, our potential enemies should have been all for it.

[SirJohnBarleycorn]

What are you blathering about? I think it's a good thing we're out of the treaty and have the beginnings of a workable ABM system, and I give credit to President Bush (President Reagan).

I doesn't matter if our treaty counterparty ceases to exist or if many of our enemies were not parties to begin with. Unless we formally terminated the treaty, our own government would not allow us to build missile defense.

[Ninian Dryhope]

I think he was being sincere and not sarcastic. We all should thank the President for pulling out of that treaty.

[Maelstrom]

Sorry. I read you the wrong way.

[BamaGirl]

AWESOME! I didn't know Star Wars was not only approved but active! It really works? Is this why North Korea suddenly capitulated last week?

[bkepley]

All the talk about George Bush being guilty of treason, what about all those Presidents deliberately leaving American cities defenseless against attack?

[A.Hun]

This one program could very well be the most important thing George Bush has done for this nation.

A rogue launch of a ballistic nuke of some sort is inevitable.

For any one to have opposed this was ludicrous, yet they did for years.

Good post!

[Petey139]

Obviously, If a person you hate ties you up and beat you what is he doing? Denying you the right of self defense. Take for example the EU arm embargo on China. The US is against it being lifted in fears that those weapons would be used against US soldiers in the event of a war. What is the US doing right now? Denying China the right to defend their beliefs. Its that simple.

[JSteff]

" If it were truly a waste of money and so easy to overcome, our potential enemies should have been all for it."

The USSR knew we could do it all along and they could not afford to upgrade their force to deal with out ABM. Dealing with star wars is what bankrupted the USSR.

We can do it and landing on a meteor and impacting a comet proved it to our enemies. That impact was far more than what the NASA people thought. It was a demonstration for those who doubted we could bring down a missile with another missile.

[BigBobber]

Bush and Rumsfeld resurrected missile defense almost as their first act on entering office. I remember because I became suspicious they knew of an immediate threat that required this action.

[B Knotts]

Although I have been disappointed with Pres. Bush lately on a number of things, it is important to remember how good he has been on things like this.

[Ninian Dryhope]

"Denying China the right to defend their beliefs."

NO, we are denying China the ability to use nuclear blackmail against us.

"Its that simple."

No, you are THAT simple.

[Petey139]

I don't know if your receiving your news off a almsman's overlay or somewhat perplex locus. But you ain't receiving it from the right place. They never used nuclear intimidation against us, It was their general who uttered menaces against us. Plus even if they did use nuclear intimadation, We would be able to safeguard our nation. What are you deliberating, That the U.S. isn't able to vindicate victory. That a clump of commies & ex-commies can prevail against us. Don't be a softhead.

If China and Russia are against this, Ask your self why we even embarked into star wars into the first place.

We feared the commies & ex-commies will assail us just like they think we will assail them.

Actually you are logically rigorous. I commendate you. Your correct, It is was a dissipate of long green, Our nemesis would be competent to subdue it, Oh wait perhaps if we lived in a time of barbarilism it wouldn't. We don't assail a political territory for no particular justification do we?

[Ninian Dryhope]

I don't suffer fools.