“The assessment is that they do have a very active program and are likely to have nuclear weapons in a relatively short period of time.” – Defense Secretary Rumsfeld said referring to Iran, June 11, 2003

Members, Supporters and Friends:

Inrecent news, alarming reports from the Pentagon and CIA show that Iran is building up its nuclear arsenal. With the threat that rogue nations such as Iran pose, it is crucial that a missile defense system be deployed to protect innocent lives from the weapons of mass destruction that these countries are developing. Iran possesses ballistic missiles such as the CSS-8 and SCUD C. Their nuclear weapons, coupled with these missiles pose a serious threat to the United States, its troops overseas and its allies.

Last week the Las Vegas Review Journal published a piece by William Crowe. In this op-ed, Mr. Crowe criticized the cost of development and the effectiveness of the technology that will be used in deploying a missile defense system. William Crowe is the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who now writes for the Stephens Media Group.

However, the current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Richard Myers, expressed his confidence and support in the technology and the affordability of the system. Chairman Myers stated these viewpoints in a letter to Senator Allard of Colorado.

One of our greatest generals in the history of this country, Omar Bradley, stated, “I am convinced that the best service a retired general can perform is to turn in his tongue along with his suit and mothball his opinion.”