On behalf of our membership across this country, we congratulate our President and his Administration for motivating the People’s Republic of China in bringing North Korea back into the 6-nation talks. This significant diplomatic initiative accents the country which can apply the most pressure on Kim Jong-il to give up his nuclear weapons and intentions. The People’s Republic of China holds the key to the solution for North Korea, and we welcome its leadership and participation with North Korea. The President’s strategy is to enlist the PRC’s support to bring about a solution to the North Korean crisis and MDAA strongly endorses the President’s leadership and decision to work with the PRC to promote long-term stability in the Far East, and to promote the security of our allies and friends in the region. Missile Defense continues to play a vital role complementing and strengthening the diplomatic efforts now underway, and will reassure our allies and friends that our national objective continues to be peace and stability through diplomatic efforts, but also points to our readiness to provide an active missile defense to protect them.

The discussions I had with the President last week on behalf of Missile Defense were summarized by the President yesterday when he was quoted, “I think the less nuclear armament in the Far East, the better off the world will be. I do believe we need to work very closely with our allies there on missile defense. Our missile defense systems are getting better and better because of the money that we have been spending over the past five years. The key to success there in North Korea is to convince all the parties that it’s not in their interest that North Korea have a nuclear weapon, which we have successfully done. The key is to have South Korea, China, Russia and Japan sitting at the table with the United States, saying the same thing to the North Koreans, that there is going to be consequences if you continue to test for a nuclear weapon.”

Last week, MDAA was honored to pay tribute to two United States Senators and one United States Representative in their Home States of Alabama and Louisiana for their outstanding contribution and leadership on Missile Defense; Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Representative Terry Everett of Alabama, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, also the Chairman of the House Strategic Forces Subcommittee and Senator David Vitter of Louisiana a member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. These three Congressional representatives led the efforts on behalf of fielding a missile defense system when it was not a popular position in Congress. Without their steadfast belief and political savvy, our Country and our Allies today would not have a deployed missile defense system that today our President is using to stabilize the region around North Korea as well as using it as a diplomatic tool. On behalf of our membership, we humbly pay honor and respect to their vision and determination.

Thank you Senator Sessions, Senator Vitter and Representative Everett.

“A Great Defense Never Rests”