Proliferation our Gravest Concern

April 22, 2005

Dear Members and Friends,

Our gravest concern and biggest threat to our country and to the world is the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the means to deliver them. Our country, as well as many other countries are actively seeking to find solutions to dissuade, dissolve and counter the proliferation of these weapons.

Diplomacy, threat reduction programs, pre-emptive action, international treaties and missile defense are the primary initiatives in place that work to solve this critical issue of proliferation. Each of these solutions plays a vital role which taken together, are much stronger than separate. We at MDAA look forward to supporting all of these initiatives and remain steadfast and focused on the solution we know best: Missile Defense – which dissuades, deters and counters proliferation.

We must remember that missiles of all ranges are a threat to our country, troops overseas and allies. Not only are there long range missiles from North Korea and in the possible future, Iran but the shorter range ballistic missiles placed on sea or land based platforms near our borders and in international waters is a clear and present danger.

“The threat we face from proliferating and evolving ballistic missile systems and associated technologies and expertise continues unabated. There were nearly 100 foreign ballistic missile launches around the world in 2004. This is nearly double the number conducted in 2003 and slightly greater than the number of launches in 2002. More than 60 launches last year involved short-range ballistic missiles, over ten involved medium-range missiles, and nearly twenty involved land- and sea-based long-range ballistic missiles.”
Testimony before the House Armed Services Committee on March 15, 2005 by Lt. General “Trey” Obering.

In this regard, MDAA is launching a new web page dedicated to the awareness of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means to deliver them through ballistic missiles. There are many countries today possessing delivery capabilities and weapons of mass destruction as shown on the chart and as history teaches: those that are our friends today can be against us in the future. But more importantly is the concern that some of these countries may proliferate these weapons and systems to non-country entities and organizations. Stopping this threat is of utmost national importance as clearly stated together last fall by President George W. Bush and Senator John F. Kerry.

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