And who or what would prevent the excremists from polishing their rockets to mirror finish to deflect away most of the laser energy? It is very cheap, too, in comparison with THEL. With shells and mortars it is more tricky as powder gases leave their residue.
Because it doesn't work. This has been tested. It fails because there is too much infrared absorption and "shock kill" destroying the booster structural integrity. This countermeasure was always cavalierly postulated by the bozos at the FAS, Federation of American Scientists, a liberal anti-defense unthink tank (with few real scientists) which the MSM relied on to oppose SDI. Surprising they never admitted when they were debunked.
It is very cheap, too, in comparison with THEL.
Not since it doesn't work.
With shells and mortars it is more tricky as powder gases leave their residue.
Doesn't work for those reasons...and the above. Infrared absorption can't be deflected with mirror finish.