An urgent need for a strong missile defense.

• Author: Weldon, Curt

"It is only a matter of time before rogue nations such as Iraq and Libya obtain the means to threaten American cities with ballistic missiles armed with chemical, biological, or nuclear weapons."

In January, 1996, when Pres. Clinton delivered his State of the Union Address, he spoke of the dawning of a new age in foreign relations, one filled with the promise of peace. He painted the vision of a world in which "not a single Russian missile is pointed at America's children" and North Korea has "frozen its dangerous nuclear weapons."

As much as I wish that peace permanently has been secured, sadly that is not the case. In reality, we live in a world that in many ways is as unstable as at any point during the Cold War. The sole purpose that Pres. Clinton's words served was to lull American citizens into a false sense of security. In fact, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction is the single greatest threat to our national security, and it only will grow worse. The surest way to ensure the safety of U.S. citizens is to deploy a national missile defense capable of protecting the entire nation against limited or accidental missile strikes.

Many people do not understand the nature of the missile threat to our country. In 1995, during debate of the Defense Authorization Bill. one Congressman asked: "What is the threat? The Power Rangers?" Such comments illustrate how little information some members of Congress--entrusted by constituents to ensure their safety--have about the real threats to the U.S.'s national security and the lives of its citizens.

According to intelligence agencies. it is impossible to verify that the Russian nuclear arsenal no longer is aimed at the U.S. Even if this were possible. Russia could retarget its ballistic missiles toward American cities in less than 60 seconds. The real threat today is not a full-scale nuclear attack, but the accidental or rogue launch of Russian ballistic missiles and the danger of proliferation of ballistic missile technology to rogue nations.

As Russia struggles to implement reforms in the post-Soviet era. the command and control of its nuclear weapons have grown frighteningly unstable. Reports indicate that former Soviet soldiers are underfed. underpaid. and highly demoralized. Often, soldiers have resorted to selling ammunition and weapons to buy food or liquor. Another report stated that Russian strategic forces are so short on money! that the! have to hire out soldiers for menial jobs like digging potatoes, leaving some nuclear missile sites shorthanded and requiring some crews to work double shifts.

It is not surprising that Russian soldiers and officers have grown increasingly embittered at Moscow's treatment of the military. They possess little or no sense of loyalty the government. One Russian soldier pointed out that "it is pretty reckless on the part of [Russian Pres. Boris] Yeltsin and [former Defense Minister Pavel] Grachev to entrust weapons to youths who are suffering malnutrition. cold. and neglect by their commanders." If Russia's own soldiers are concerned by this problem. the U.S. should be cautious as well.

Meanwhile, powers to...