Obama on Defense

"I will cut investments in 'unproven' missile defense systems"
HERE

Successful Sea-Based Missile Defense Intercept
Story Number: NNS080606-08
Release Date: 6/6/2008 1:28:00 PM

From Missile Defense Agency Public Affairs

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Air Force Lt. Gen. Henry "Trey" Obering III, Missile Defense Agency (MDA) director, announced the successful completion of the latest flight test of the sea-based Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) element, conducted jointly with the U.S. Navy off the coast of Kauai, Hawaii.

The event, designated as Flight Test Maritime-14 (FTM-14), marked the fourteenth overall successful intercept, in 16 attempts, for the Aegis BMD program and the second successful intercept of a terminal phase (last few seconds of flight) target by a modified Standard Missile - 2 Block IV (SM-2 Blk IV) interceptor.

The mission was completed by the cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG 70), using the tactically-certified Aegis BMD shipboard weapon system, modified for a terminal capability, and the modified SM-2 Blk IV. This is the 35th successful terminal and midcourse defense intercept in 43 tests since 2001.

Iran to get ICBMs before missile shield deployed

by Damien McElroy, Foreign Affairs Correspondent, Telegraph UK

Last updated: 7:31 PM BST 23/06/2008

America's proposed missile shield in Europe is unlikely to be operational before Iran acquires inter-continental weapons, it has emerged.

The latest setback to hit the troubled project came after Defence Department experts refused to certify the interceptor missiles to shoot down an incoming threat because they had not been fully tested.

Washington had set a 2013 deadline to finish the system but defence experts believe the Pentagon will miss that date by up to five years.

Democrats in Congress had threatened to withhold funding for the system until certification was obtained.

Meanwhile experts believe Iran will be able to produce inter-continental ballistic missiles capable of reaching Europe, and possibly America, by 2015. Some intelligence reports suggest Iran will have obtained the amount of uranium needed for a nuclear weapon much sooner.

The Pentagon claimed that earlier tests on interceptor missiles in the US missile defence system had proved the viability of the European systems. Scientists disagreed, pointing to significant design differences, most importantly that the European system relied on two stage rockets, one less than the American version.

"It is important to know that this system will work effectively before we buy or deploy it," said Senator Carl Levin, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

A weapons system which aims at no person, harms no person, and has no collateral damage, and yet still, B Obama is against it, along with those others who depsite protesting too much, are clearly obvious in the disdain for service, those who serve, and WHY they serve.