The Need for a National Missile Defense (NMD) Program in the United States Several hundred Soviet, nuclear tipped, ballistic missiles streak towards the United States without any form of opposition or challenge to their impeding destruction. The result of a situation like this would be no doubt disastrous, but it is a situation that could very well take place if the United States does not install a national ballistic missile defense program. An anti-ballistic missile (ABM) system is a precaution that the American government must pursue with all of its resources in order to protect and preserve our society as we know it. Really, what are the chances of another nation launching a ballistic missile attack on the U.S.? Well, an attack may be a lot more likely than most Americans ever even dare to think. In 1998 Iran tested an intermediate-range missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, and North Korea launched a three-stage rocket, Taepo Dong 1(Timmerman), capable of an attack on Alaska, Hawaii, and possibly the west coast of the United States.(Richter) In 1998 Congress appointed a blue ribbon panel headed by former Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld to take a look at just how real the threat is of an adversary developing an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of attacking the U.S. mainland.(Timmerman) In his conclusion Rumsfeld warned that, "rogue countries could soon have missiles capable of reaching the U.S. mainland—without the United States’ even knowing it."(Richter) Rumsfeld also concluded that of the rogue nations, Iran was the furthest along with the capability of Mott 2developing a missile that could reach U.S. targets "in an arc extending northeast of a line from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to St. Paul Minnesota", in less than five years. Next in line was Iran’s long time friend, North Korea, who could develop missiles capable of attacking the western United States "in an arc extendi...
