A few days ago, I wrote about how the missile defense system that the United States is spending millions of dollars to build in Europe failed a crucial test, even though the test was set up in optimum conditions. The test was scrubbed because the military officers running it knew that the missile defense system could not possibly destroy an incoming nuclear missile unless the trajectory were of a certain height. The test target missile failed to act like the easy target it was supposed to, and behaving unpredictably, could not be destroyed.
This failed test was just another in a tradition of decades of failed tests. The truth that no one in Washington D.C. wants to talk about is that the technology for a missile defense system that works does not yet exist. The billions of dollars the United States is spending to build the system is money wasted on pure fantasy.
Yesterday, the failure of the missile defense system became even more profound. Russia announced that it is developing a missile that will be able to evade the American missile defense system. So, even if the Americans ever develop the technology to get their missile defense system to work as designed, it won’t really protect anyone from Russian nuclear missiles.
Building the missile defense system is an obvious waste of billions of dollars. So, why do so many politicians support the program? It all comes down to money. The billions of dollars that are being spent on a missile defense system that will never work doesn’t actually disappear when the federal government spends it. All that money is flowing into the politically-connected corporations that are being hired to design and build the imaginary missile defense system.
A lot of people are making a lot of money for themselves from the missile defense fantasy. A portion of that money is being returned to politicians in the form of campaign contributions, to encourage the political will to keep the fantasy economy going.
Any genuine fiscal conservative would call for an immediate end to spending on the failed missile defense program. But, wouldn’t you know it – not one of the Republicans running for President in 2008 have done so. In fact, I don’t know of a single Republican politician who has the integrity to oppose the wasteful missile defense fantasy.
(Source: Media With Conscience, May 29 207)
