10nfl1-Nukes-Cover
BECAUSE IT IS UNTESTED, THE BMD HAS NO DETERRENCE VALUE TO
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| BECAUSE IT IS UNTESTED, THE BMD HAS NO DETERRENCE VALUE TO POTENTIAL ENEMIES E. Fox & S. Orman, Orman & Associates, Bethesda, Spr. ΚΌ06, Ballistic missile defense a review of development problems Journal of Social, Political, & Economic Studies, p. 10-11 The provision of the BMD was never meant to replace deterrence through the threat of overwhelming retaliation, but to provide additional deterrence and also to add layers of protection should deterrence fail. To work well in any of these roles, the BMD has to be highly effective and, moreover, that high degree of efficiency has to be demonstrated to potential opponents. This does not mean that an initial deployment has to meet these high standards but if it is to be enhanced it will be important to know precisely what capabilities it does have and how these capabilities can be improved. Thus, although an effective BMD remains essential, we consider several aspects of the development to have been rushed and to remain unfinished. It is remarkable that Congress has not made stronger efforts to demand answers to the question of why a system that was claimed by the Administration to be close to operational at the end of 2004 has not been tested and remains in early 2006 as neither a test bed nor an operational system. These facts do little to add to the image of an effective system, and are hardly such as will induce allies to get involved with a program that gives every indication of being handled in a cavalier manner. 10NFL1-Nuclear Weapons Page 113 of 199 www.victorybriefs.com Download 1.23 Mb. Share with your friends:
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