Pentagon Misses Goal for Missile Defense System

[Rose Siding]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon failed to meet its goal of declaring a missile defense system operational in 2004 and critics said failures in testing the ambitious system show it simply does not work.
...
...The Pentagon's Missile Defense Agency later said the intention was to make it operational by the end of 2004. Now Missile Defense Agency spokesman Rick Lehner says there is no firm timetable for activating it.

Creation of a missile defense system has been a goal of many U.S. conservatives dating back to a space-based plan developed under President Ronald Reagan two decades ago. Bush touted his version during his re-election campaign.

The current approach, to shield America and its allies from missile attack by nations like North Korea, is based on the concept of using one missile to shoot down another before it can reach its target.

"What we have here is a developmental system that is well along," Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told a recent briefing. "And at some point soon, it will have a modest capability" and can be "perfected and improved" over time.

Proponents argue even a rudimentary missile defense capability is better than none at all. But the latest failure presented another hurdle to the Pentagon's idea of deploying the system piece by piece rather than waiting for every element to be fully developed.

"The system has no demonstrated capability to work under realistic conditions. And so unless they just want it to be a sham, I don't see how they can declare that they have real operational capability," said Philip Coyle, chief weapons tester for the Pentagon from 1994 to 2001.

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=7214696&src=rss/ElectionCoverage

[ixion]

1. a waste of billions of our dollars

for this bogus piece of garbage that will never work, at least not in our lifetime.

This from people who call themselves 'conservative' :eyes:

[bemildred]

2. as predicted ...

This is what happens when these bozos have to operate in a
"reality-based" environment, as is the mess in Iraq. What I want to
know is when can we retire ALL these pricks in Washington and hire
some people with some SHRED of competence and intelligence to run
the place? :puke:

[htuttle]

3. "a rudimentary missile defense capability is better than none at all."

Bullshit!!!

Our actions in building this piece of corporate bunk have already violated and negated the ABM treaty. In response, Russia has already developed a couple of new missiles that our Star Wars system would not be able to shoot down -- even if it worked!!

Our 'rudimentary missile defense capability' that couldn't shoot down a blimp has caused a greater threat to us than existed before.

[IndianaGreen]

4. It doesn't work, it never has worked, and it will never work!

We should cancel this project that dates back to Reagan watching too many showings of "Plan Nine from Outerspace" and reallocate the money to things that matter, such as universal health care.

Conservatives from both parties can't never find enough money to invest in people, but the sky is the limit when it comes to feeding the military-industrial complex.

[tridim]

5. Oh it works perfectly.. The contractors are getting their billions,

and the politicians are getting their kickbacks and corporate campaign contributions. That was the goal.. It worked like a dream.

[pinerow]

6. You are so correct...what were we thinking...?

nt

[PATRICK]

7. Shift of wasted money

They had likely planned for the looting of a tame Iraq to pay as you go for the foreign policy empire while Star Wars drained the government at home. Now the seesaw is heavily weighted for Iraq to do the dirty work of taking down social security etc. while the thinner Star Wars stays patiently in the saddle on the ground.

Where it would rot in any event. It is a political ploy not a defense strategy unless you call remaking the Cold War a defense strategy.

However there ARE some strategic priorities with heavy sticker shock also hurting, like trying to beat the Chinese in space- but they are great at putting things off when the main agenda is hard at work.