As the Bush administration speeds ahead with plans to construct a missile defense system in Eastern Europe, some Democrats in Congress want to put on the brakes, saying it has not been adequately tested.Even before the agreement was reached, the Bush administration had proposed spending $712 million in the coming fiscal year to start digging silos in Poland; installing a related radar system in the Czech Republic, another former Soviet satellite that is now a NATO member; and buying initial parts for the first interceptor missiles. But Democrats are now questioning all that spending as premature. "Go ahead and move on with research and development," said Representative Ellen Tauscher, Democrat of California, who is chairwoman of the House subcommittee that oversees the missile defense program. "But as far as putting holes in the ground in Poland, we are saying no."
Even before the agreement was reached, the Bush administration had proposed spending $712 million in the coming fiscal year to start digging silos in Poland; installing a related radar system in the Czech Republic, another former Soviet satellite that is now a NATO member; and buying initial parts for the first interceptor missiles.
But Democrats are now questioning all that spending as premature.
"Go ahead and move on with research and development," said Representative Ellen Tauscher, Democrat of California, who is chairwoman of the House subcommittee that oversees the missile defense program. "But as far as putting holes in the ground in Poland, we are saying no."
Historically, stupidity in foreign policy has been bipartisan. What's going on here?
This is why the situation is such a farce. The missiles - as planned - don't work. They have no strategic value. If you launched ten of them at one rogue missile you might get a kill, if you were lucky.
If the silos were really an offensive option, that would be different. Bush certainly isn't claiming that's what they do, but that may or may not be true.
The Russians seem to believe they are offensive. So that's why we're having this fun.
What's important is that people die defending the rights of missiles.
This war in Georgia began, in part, because of them.
