AL:
By Major Gen.(R) Mel Montano
As Congress and the Administration square off for yet another round of budget brinksmanship we must not allow our national security priorities to fall victim to “business as usual” Washington gridlock.
One of the most important budget items is our military’s defense against the increasing danger from rogue terrorist states such as North Korea and Iran. These nations make no bones about hating our country, and they are fledgling nuclear powers who will soon be able to put our cities at risk.
Missile defense is no longer a “Star Wars” fantasy – our military has built a working homeland defense shield called GMD, which has completed 9 successful intercepts.
It’s also one of the most affordable components of our national defense, shielding our cities from the most destructive weapons in the world for less than half a penny out of every military dollar. And system improvements like enhanced radars, more tests, and more defensive interceptors are a drop in the bucket compared to most items on the military budget.
Congress should fully fund our missile defenses and keep investing in this irreplaceable and cost-effective technology.
