President Obama and the Eastern European Missile Defense system
Posted by Mike Sylvester - 9/18/09 @ 8:44 pm - Filed Under National Politics
Twice in one week I am writing a post where I agree with a policy decision made by President Obama!
Miracles do actually happen.
The administration of former President George W. Bush antagonized the Soviet Union by promising to build a land based missile defense system in eastern Europe.
I feel that this entire project has been a complete waste of taxpayer dollars.
Europe is as wealthy as the United States and if Europe wants a missile defense shield they can certainly build one. We have no business increasing the national debt to defend eastern Europe.
Now if we can just get President Obama to decrease military spending, close some of our excess military bases, and pull our troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan…
Mike Sylvester
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14 Responses to “President Obama and the Eastern European Missile Defense system”
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Mike, I agree with not wasting money and that if Europe wants a missile defense system, then they are wealthy enough to pay for it.
One of the problems with missile defense is hitting the booster before the war heads separate. A long range missile takes about 25 minutes to reach the US from Russia or let us say Iran. The missile moves relatively slow while in the atmosphere, but once it hits high altitudes it begins to move like, well a rocket. The problem is multiple war heads, MIRV, will begin to separate in about 5 to 10 minutes AFTER they reach altitude. To get an interceptor up to altitude and knock out the booster before deployment of war heads requires a very, very fast interceptor.
The problem used to be the ability to calculate and update trajectories QUICKLY. Two missiles traveling at 20,000 mph have a closing velocity of 40,000 mph or 11.11 miles per second or 58,667 feet a second. The war head vehicle length is less than 15 feet long. This means there is not much room for error and the need to update must be over 4,000 times per second. The most accurate method is a stationary interceptor. The ships I saw on the news were Ages Cruisers with the capability to track targets high up. The problem is the booster size these ships can carry is finite, much smaller than fixed locations.
Using what we have, cheaper, smaller interceptors would require they be positioned in close proximity of the launch site of the enemy.
The president’s decision is based on the premise that smaller short range missiles pose a greater risk since the Iranians appear (intelligence reports) indicate they are having problems with longer range missiles.
Our problem will be to place assets where these short range or if they develop longer range missiles are deployed can be destroyed before MIRV’s are released. The problem becomes more complicated with short range missiles that do not reach a high altitude and with turbulence do not have as smooth a flight path as well as it being much shorter time frame to react.
The ability of shooting a bullet down is a complex one as well as fascinating. In the most simplistic terms, you have to react immediately with a very, very fast interceptor and be able to calculate the trajectory of both with minimal time and information.
Is there another solution?
“Is there another solution?”
Yes…preemptive strikes on Iran.
“Is there another solution?”
Yes…preemptive strikes on Iran.
Sorry I double tapped.
Jon,
Are you seriously advocating that we attack Iran?
Mike
Yep. Preemptive strike on Iran and we better do it “before” Israel does if we want to mitigate the war that will happen.
Luke,
Give me a break.
I in no way support a pre-emptive attack on Iran because they MAY develop a nuclear weapon.
Countless countries in the world have nuclear weapons…
Mike
I’d prefer the CIA start an internal coup, but if a strike becomes necessary because they actual produce one, bomb’s away.
Honest Abe,
Why not let Israel bomb them instead?
They are a threat to Israel not us…
Mike
After reading the paper today I learned that Admiral Mike Mullen agreed with scrapping the land based interceptors. I have respect for Adm Mike Mullen. He is intelligent and when I knew the guy 30 years ago, he was thorough, questioned things he did not know or understood and I like a guy who goes to Andrew’s Air Force base to pay last respects to those who have given their all for our freedom.
I have a good feeling that Mullen understands the consequences of such a decision. To make this decision, there must be some new stuff out there.
Okay–Israel strikes because its “their” self-defense. The Muslim world flares up out of control because it was “Israel” that strikes (and they will too, and they will strike before Iran accepts delivery of the new set of surface to air missles). WWIII happens in the Mideast and the Suez Canal is shut down, as the Iranians promised BUT we have kept the U.S.’s hands out of it because it is no concern of ours at least until the World enters a global economic depression as a result. Then it is our concern. Our “pre-emptive” involvement is about protecting all of our Security interests in the Middle East, not just Israel.
Thanks, Dishonest Abe. Sometimes I think it’s kind of a shame that America’s on the rocks. But then I read something as ugly and barbaric as what you’ve written there, and it makes it bearable.
Just keep in mind, everyone, that the next time the Evil Terrorists strike, it’s because They Hate Us For Our Freedom™. For sure, nobody could ever take exception to the American Imperial attitude, as expressed so ably in the above quote.
I agree that we should not attack Iran, but what do you mean “countless countries have nuclear weapons”?
US
UK
Russia
China
France
India
Israel
Pakistan
That’s 8 by my count. North Korea claims to have them, but even if that’s true, I don’t think they can actually deploy them.
I believe Great Britain has them, Rumor South Africa may(Israel tested their bomb off the coast of South Africa and word is they helped. What did they get in return). North Korea’s 2nd bomb was not large, but the Russians say it was a nuke detonation.
As for deploying, all it takes is to put it in a bus station locker or truck and walk away.
Abe,
That worked like a champ last time we tried it huh?
Every time we get involved with these countries we end up worse off than when we started…