Analysis of the National Missle Defense System
Analysis of the National Missle Defense System
Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty (A.B.M.) which was agreed in 1972 between U.S.A. and U.S.S.R. was the most renouncing event during the Cold War period. The purpose of this treaty was to slow down the nuclear arming race and it forbade national defense systems. However United States recently announced its plan for National Missile Defense system (N.M.D.) that they think will be a sufficient solution against their enemies. On the other hand, earlier responses from other countries, China and Russia at first, are not very optimistic.
Firstly, national defense and secondly an acceleration to American economy are the main purposes of National Missile Defense. Bush claims that A.B.M. treaty is a handicap for United States’ self-defense, and this project will prevent missile attacks from countries such as North Korea, Iran, Iraq and of course China that are rebellious to United States (Schweid, 2000). In fact, the reason for the insistence in this high-tech project is isolationism of U.S., a dream of New World which is protected and abstracted from other countries. Acceleration to slowing American economy is the other expectation by this project. Technological firms like Boeing, Lockheed-Martin and defense contractors will be the means for economic growth. For instance, basis of Silicon Valley was found by Ronald Reagan’s Star Wars project.
After about ten years and incredible costs, the process briefly will be about detecting and destroying incoming missiles. Satellites and early warning radars are requirements for detecting missile launches and incoming missiles. Command and control centers, guidance for interceptor missiles, interceptor silos, and of course interceptor missiles are requirements for the destruction of incoming enemy missile. For optimists it will take 3-4 years, but Bush argues that system must cover not only U.S. but also allies, and U.S. forces placed in overseas countries. This means, required time might be over 10 years to spread on the world. Moreover expected cost range between 30-200 billion dollars in respect of the extension of the project.
There are many serious effects of N.M.D. that must be thought about carefully. The most ambitious pitfall is a new nuclear arms race reminding the Cold War period in Pacific Domain. China and Russia consider N.M.D. as an offensive system rather than defensive one, that ensure U.S. the protection from missile attacks and advantage...