Alternative Architectures and U.S. Politics
Three different proposals for deploying a national missile defense system in the present-day US are examined. An analysis of the feasibility of implementing the Clinton administration's proposed limited modifications to the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty is conducted, emphasizing its development schedule, approach toward dealing with countermeasures, & creation of a boost phase interception defense. The implications of making more severe alterations to the ABM Treaty, the formation of a missile defense system with multiple sites for launching interceptor missiles, & the use of Navy Aegis radar technology for missile defense are then addressed. Additional attention is directed toward using missile defense systems based on laser technology & George H. W. Bush's global protection against limited strikes plan. The emergence of national missile defense supporters & opponents in the American public & political sectors is considered. Several conclusions are reached, eg, that current political sentiment in the US favors limited ballistic missile defense. 1 Figure. J. W. Parker