AntiBallistics: a bad idea.

At the end of the Cold War in 1989, the threat of nuclear war was reduced. It was unlikely that a global conflict would take place. Since 1980 ballistic missiles have been used in six conflicts. Today 54 countries have some type of cruise missile and 19 countries currently hold cruise missiles in their arsenals. The two most common missiles are the intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) and submarine launched ballistic missiles (SLBM).

Ballistic missiles fly in three phases, the boost phase, the midcourse phase, and the terminal phase. During the boost phase the missile gains the acceleration it needs to reach its target. This phase lasts 3 to 5 minutes. In the midcourse phase, the missile free falls towards its target. Also, it sheds its motor in order to increase the distance the warhead can travel. This phase lasts up to 20 minutes. The last phase, terminal phase, is only 30 seconds long, the warhead re-enters the atmosphere and reaches speeds of 2000+ mph.

The United States now wants to create a system to defend against potential threats. This program will build on the technical progress of already existing missile systems, integrate land, air and sea

Brand Erbisdorf, Germany. Sep.2000-Jun.2001.

Bethe, Dr.Hans. Letter to President Clinton. Federation of American Scientists. 6 July 2000: n.pag. Online. Internet. 16Nov2001.

The Bay of Pigs conflict in 1962 started the Cuban Missile Crisis which essentially started the cold war between the USSR and the U.S. At the time Khrushchev and the USSR was the United States’ enemy and each nation needed to develop weapons and defense system better that its foes. In 1989 when communism fell, with the Berlin Wall, Russia was no longer a nuclear threat and the ties between the U.S and Russia became stronger. The new anti- ballistic missile system will, as the U.S claims, defend against the current enemies; Afghanistan, Iraq and possibly North Korea, although the U.S ties are becoming stronger with Pyongyang as North and South Korea are undergoing peace treaty talks. Afghanistan has one in service SS-1 SCUD B missile in its arsenal. They obtained it from Russia years ago. It has a range of 300km and a payload of 985kg. If the Taliban were to aim it at Washington D.C from Kabul, it would not reach. Iraq has no missiles in service. The Russian SS-1 SCUD B is prohibited along with three other domestic (Iraq) missiles, “Al Hussein”, “Al Hijarah”, and “BADR 2000”. Why is the U.S going to spend billons of dollars to protect against just these two threats that are not really a huge threat? The system is designed to protect the U.S from the other superpowers, Russia and China. The U.S is saying the system is to protect from its current enemies so a cold war will not break out; the U.S versus Russia and China. Russia has fourteen in service missiles, eleven of which are nuclear and China has eight in service missiles, five of which are nuclear. These are reasons for the U.S to be skeptical of its new allies. “It would be difficult to persuade Russia and China the Unites States is spending tens of billions of dollars on an ineffective missile system against small states that are unlikely to launch a missile attacks on the U.S… the Russians and Chinese must therefore conclude that the presently planed system is a stage in developing a bigger system directed against them.” (Bethe: n.pag).

The recent events of September 11th have put a hold on the missile defense system; however, the attacks have initiated talks between President Bush and President Putin over a treaty to reduce the number of missiles in the arsenals. The Defense Department and the Vice President do not want to make a treaty, “[They] want to give Putin a little more than a handshake.” (Calabresi: 28) The State Department supports the treaty a sign that they may advise against a m

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