The GAO Questions Missile Defense Interceptors
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report questioning the effectiveness of ground-based missile defense interceptors the U.S. plans to deploy to Poland under an agreement signed by Poland and the U.S. last year. (Source)
The U.S. agreed to deploy missile shields to Poland and the Czech Republic to counter missile threats from rogue countries like Iran, but those plans are in doubt. President Barack Obama apparently is not committed to moving forward. While the GAO is an independent agency, that is no guarantee of fair and credible evaluations of Pentagon programs. For example, a recent GAO report supposedly identified a $21 billion overrun in a Pentagon program. In response, Lt. Gen N. Ross Thompson III, military deputy assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology said, “I don’t know where they came up with the figure. I don’t know where it came from.” (Source)
Another issue raised by the GAO report is the effectiveness of our ability to detect decoys. This criticism doesn’t make sense when we consider that Iran hasn’t developed a ballistic warhead decoy system. Developing the ability to detect decoys likely would serve as a deterrent to Iran. In any case, we will improve this ability should Iran or North Korea deploy decoys.
For more information about missile defense, see the companion reader to the 33 Minutes documentary.
Tags: ballistic warhead decoys, Czech Republic, GAO, Iran, Pentagon, Poland