[Straight Vermonter]

Think that might get them a bit more interested in NMD?

[flamefront]

Think that might get them a bit more interested in NMD?

One would hope so. But the software and the report come from the Natural Resources Defense Council, a leftie disarmament think tank. From the article:

[NDRC's physicist after 2 years] Mr. McKinzie said he is working on modifying the software for eventual distribution to the public. The idea behind creating the computer program is to raise questions about the existing American policy of stockpiling thousands of nuclear weapons, he said. "Why do we need several thousand deployed nuclear weapons when even a few hundred would assure an overwhelming loss of life?" Mr. McKinzie asked.

Using the software, researchers estimated it would take 124 weapons to destroy the U.S. and 51 to eliminate Russia as a country. The computer program mimics the U.S. military's SIOP, or Single Integrated Operational Plan, which outlines the targeting of America's nuclear weapons and the likely consequences of each attack. SIOP is so secret that even members of the U.S. Senate, with high-level security clearance, are not allowed to know the details. The Natural Resources Defense Council scientists used declassified U.S. government information such as radioactive fallout projections, satellite photos, census data and maps of military installations to develop their software.

Ironically this very concern over vulnerability would make NMD much more valuable. Pres. Bush should thank them, and then also incentivize dispersal of industry and resources.