More than 70% of New Yorkers — Democrats, Republicans and Independents — support a missile defense system with the ability to protect the United States from a nuclear, chemical or biological attack. That is one of the compelling statistics I had the privilege of presenting at the Fourth Annual Missile Defense Conference in Washington D.C. The conference featured distinguished leaders including Gordon England, Deputy Secretary of Defense, General James E. Cartwright, Commander of US Strategic Command, and Lieutenant General Henry “Trey” Obering, Director of the Missile Defense Agency.
The residents of New York have spoken clearly about their feelings in this MDAA commissioned public poll. Eighty-one percent of New York registered voters believe New York will be a target for a missile attack by countries or terrorist groups wanting to strike the United States.
Our findings show that New Yorkers support missile defense as an important and necessary United States capability to ensure public safety which underscores the importance of our national will to deploy a missile defense system.
