The top priority of US defense authorities is to protect Americans from nuclear attacks. To achieve this goal, President Trump Presidential order We are looking for the establishment of the “Iron Dome for the United States”, which is a great prevention of missile defense systems in Israel.
Secretary of Defense Hix Hinted His desire to start planning this missile defense system. Some members of the parliament, Like Senator (R-OKLA), a member of MarkWayne Mullin, also participates in this plan.
The missile defense system for protecting the United States from nuclear weapons sounds like a good idea. it's not. The American iron dome is a waste of taxpayers and approaches the world to nuclear Armageddon.
If someone should take away something from this work, it means increasing the possibility of a missile defense against nuclear weapons. This seems to be contrary to intuition. But US high -ranking officials and policy proprieters must understand how the other side perceives such movements.
If you create a missile defense system that can download nuclear missiles in the United States, Russians and Chinese will be forced to make more nuclear weapons to compete with this missile defense. Not only that, Russians and the Chinese will see this missile defense as a way that the United States may launch nuclear weapons first without fear of retaliation.
Retal abilities Make the deterrent function. Without that, Security crisis It may appear.
The United States faced such a crisis when the NATO army started in 1983 War exercise。 The Soviet Union has approached nuclear weapons because of the fear that these exercises are actually NATO attacks on the Warsaw agreement. Reagan administration Missile defense plan At the beginning of the year I built the foundation For a nuclear crisis with Soviet. It's doubtful that everyone wants to experience the nuclear crisis in today's difficult world.
There is also a reason to doubt that the American iron dome works. Defense contractors and government officials say that missile defense has a good intercept rate, They cannot be disclosed These numbers are generally. Thankfully, organizations such as the Weapons Management Association and recent disputes provide insights on missile defense success.
The latest test of the current missile defense system in the United States, Ground -based mid -course defense -I had itThe 12 intercept was successful in 21 tests。 Between 2008 and the end of 2013 No GMD Intercept test Successful. It is not a great appearance for missile defense advocates.
Both China and Russia to make missile defense even more complicated Attach multiple warheads To their missile. I have it from anywhere 3-16 nuclear warheads When it rains from a single missile, everything is impossible.
Former Secretary of Defense James Schreshinger was right He said“There is no real hope for protecting American cities again. There is no leak defense. Any defense will suffer at best erosion.”
Today's missile defense predicts how much US iron dome costs.
Take the Futi attack on the American boat in the Red Sea. One missile interceptor on a US ship costs about $ 2 million, but one Houthi drone is as follows: Approximately $ 2,000。 This case indicates that missiles have more economical benefits than missile defense.
The United States has spent decades for decades $ 400 billion Taxpayer's money to missile defense programs. As mentioned earlier, these missile defense has not succeeded in destroying the entering missile. Creating an iron dome for the United States costs money Approximately $ 2.5 trillion The money of American taxpayers.
In addition, a missile defense against nuclear weapons is like a snake that eats tails. If the United States is building an iron dome, Russia and China will have to increase nuclear weapons stockpiling and abilities, forcibly increase missile interceptors in the United States, and lead to Russia and China to increase nuclear weapons stockpiling and abilities. Masu. I will go.
This was why the Nixon administration agreed Anti -bolistic missile treaty 1972. Unlike 1972, the United States has it Two nuclear fellowWe will deepen this severe problem than during the Cold War. If you want the Trump administration Reduce US government expenditureIt is necessary to avoid creating this missile defense system.
The world is Close to the catastrophe More than ever。 Creating an iron dome for the United States is not just a poor decision. It will be a monumental failure in defense policy.
President Trump should reconsider this missile defense proposal. The fate of human civilization is based on this decision.
Benjamin D. Giltner is a defense and foreign policy analyst based in Washington DC.
