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On January 21, the Committee on President Danger, a non-partisan organization that educates Americans about the Islamic threat, sent a letter to Congress and President Barack Obama to express concern about the president’s stance on missile defense. The committee believes he’s changed America’s missile defense program for the worst.

An excerpt:

“Since last spring, the White House has cut some $1.4 billion from programs within the U.S. Missile Defense Agency. In doing so, it has terminated a number of promising programs, among them the Airborne Laser, the Multiple Kill Vehicle and Kinetic Energy Interceptor. All these programs intercepted missiles in early flight and were an important hedge against future offensive missile threats. It has also limited the U.S.-based missile interceptors in Alaska and California to 30 instead of 44, which are currently our only defense against intercontinental ballistic missiles.

“It likewise ended a European ‘third site’ of ground-based defenses, including interceptors and radar, in Poland and the Czech Republic. The latter deployment of 10 missiles, contrary to many claims, was designed to shoot down longer range rockets from Iran, including those capable of reaching both central Europe and the continental United States, as a supplement to the U.S.- based systems. Our other theater missile defense systems, such as THAAD, Patriot and the Aegis-based Standard Missile, numbering close to 1,000 interceptors when current acquisition plans reach fruition, were acquired over the past decade and were scheduled to be simultaneously deployed. These systems have not been designed to shoot down longer range rockets, especially those of intercontinental range.”

Read the full letter at the committee’s web site.

 
The United States Navy tested a Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) today in Hawaii. The SM-3 launched from the USS Hopper shot down a short-range ballistic missile shot from Barking Sands in Kaua’i.

This was the latest test of the sea based Aegis system which so far has had 18 successful intercepts in 22 attempts.

Watch the video of the Aegis SM-3 test here!

Radio Talk Show Hosts Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity discuss 33 Minutes on their radio programs.

Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity on 33 Minutes

Heritage Analyst Peter Brookes discusses Iran’s missile launch on Fox News.  Brookes is a Senior Fellow for National Security Affairs and the Chung-Ju Yung Fellow for Policy Studies.

Watch Here.

Heritage Analyst Niles Gardiner discusses Iran’s missile launch on Fox News. Gardiner is Director of The Heritage Foundation’s Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom. 

Watch Here.

 
Americans across the political spectrum were asked the following question:

How important is it that the U.S. build and deploy an effective missile defense system in the near future?

According to Investor’s Business Daily, a majority of Americans on both sides of the aisle believes effective missile defense is important, particularly in light of North Korea’s recent rocket launch.

(Click image for larger view)

Heritage Analyst Bruce Klingner talks about how the United Nations should respond to the North Korea Missile Test on MSNBC. Klingner is the Senior Research Fellow at the Heritage Foundation’s Asian Studies Center.

Watch the video here.

Heritage Analyst Peter Brooke’s talks about North Korea’s upcoming missile launch on Fox News.  Peter Brookes is a National Security Affairs Senior Fellow and Chung Ju-Yung Fellow for Policy Studies in the Asian Studies Center.

Watch the video here.

 
Heritage analyst Bruce Klingner talks about North Korea’s upcoming missile launch on Fox News.  Klingner is the Senior Research Fellow at the Heritage Foundation’s Asian Studies Center. 

Watch the video here.

 
On Tuesday, September 16, 2008, the Heritage Foundation will host “The Case for Missile Defense,” moderated by Peter Brookes, Senior Fellow, National Security Affairs, and Chung Ju-Yung Fellow for Policy Studies, Asian Studies Center at Heritage.

The event will be held at Heritage’s Lehrman Auditorium from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Frank J. Gaffney, Jr. (pictured), founder and president of the Center for Security Policy; Jeff Kueter president of The George C. Marshall Institute; and Ambassador Henry F. Cooper, Chairman of the Board of High Frontier, will read essays written by specialists on national security and foreign policy. In an age of increased concern about missile attacks (Yes, North Korea, Iran, and Russia, we’re talking about you), this event is timely and important.

Mark your calendars and plan on attending “The Case for Missile Defense.” RSVP here.