Reflecting on the July 4th international incident involving the launching of multiple missiles from North Korea despite international sanctions, agreements and world opinion last month, three realities have become clear and apparent:

• The people of Hawaii, Washington, Oregon and California are vulnerable and need additional missile defense protection.

• Iran’s active participation with North Korea and the international verification of six successful North Korean ballistic missile launches which hit their intended targets have ominous ramifications with the current situation in Lebanon and the international proliferation of ballistic missiles.

• The signing yesterday by the United States Defense Department of defense agreements to expand missile defense bases with the countries of Poland and the Czech Republic so that the United States and Europe with their populations will have protection against ballistic missile attacks stemming from the Middle East.

The repercussions of these realities are even stronger and far more reaching. They must be dealt with as it is in our interest and the world is to make this planet a safer place.

We at MDAA and the public we represent call on our elected leaders for the following direct actions as a result of these three findings:

• Additional deployment of up to 10 long-range Ground Based Interceptors at the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California;- a deployed Aegis Cruiser with SM-3 Interceptor in the waters off Hawaii and placement of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system at the Barking Sand Naval Base in Kauai, Hawaii.

• Deployment of Atlantic Ocean-based Aegis Cruiser/Destroyers with SM-3 Interceptors to be located in the Mediterranean Sea, North Sea, and/or Persian Gulf.

• Full support of the $119 million dollars allocated by the United States Congress for 2007 on European third site development which is currently being contested by the House of Representatives.

• Continued development and investment in future missile defense systems particularly in the boost phase defense.

The Czech Republic’s Minster of Foreign Affairs Cyril Svoboda states it best;

The democratic world has the right to a defense system against a possible aggressor, and Europe will be safe only in the case of close cooperation with Washington. This is reality and not some naive pro-Americanism.”