DATE=1/22/99
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-42422
TITLE=THE QUESTION OF MISSILE DEFENSE
BYLINE=ED WARNER
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE GREATEST THREAT TO THE UNITED STATES IS A MISSILE
ATTACK FROM SOME ENEMY ABROAD, POSSIBLY A ROGUE STATE OR A
TERRORIST GROUP. AT LEAST THAT IS THE WARNING OF SENATOR JESSE
HELMS, CHAIRMAN OF THE SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE.
SPEAKING AT A RECENT MEETING OF CONSERVATIVE ORGANIZATIONS IN
WASHINGTON, THE SENATOR SAID A DEFENSE AGAINST INCOMING MISSILES
IS URGENTLY NEEDED, THE SOONER THE BETTER, CONSIDERING U-S
VULNERABILITY. V-O-A'S ED WARNER REPORTS.
TEXT: MISSILES ARE PROLIFERATING AROUND THE WORLD, SAID U-S
SENATOR JESSE HELMS, AND MANY ARE AIMED AT THE UNITED STATES AND
ITS ALLIES. ADDRESSING THE CONSERVATIVE POLITICAL ACTION
CONFERENCE IN WASHINGTON, THE REPUBLICAN SENATOR SAID A MISSILE
DEFENSE IS CRUCIAL:
// HELMS ACT //
RED CHINA HAS 19 I-C-B-M'S (INTERCONTINENTAL BALLISTIC
MISSILES), 13 OF WHICH ARE AIMED AT YOU -- THE UNITED
STATES. AND AS RECENTLY AS 1997, A SENIOR CHINESE
OFFICIAL ISSUED A VEILED NUCLEAR THREAT AGAINST THE
UNITED STATES, WARNING THAT THE UNITED STATES WOULD
NEVER COME TO THE DEFENSE OF TAIWAN BECAUSE, AS HE PUT
IT, AMERICANS CARE MORE ABOUT LOS ANGELES THAN WE DO
TAIPEI. WELL, WE CARE FOR BOTH OF THEM.
// END ACT //
SENATOR HELMS SAID IRAN, IRAQ, NORTH KOREA AND A VARIETY OF
TERRORIST GROUPS ARE ATTEMPTING TO ARM MISSILES WITH NUCLEAR,
CHEMICAL OR BIOLOGICAL WARHEADS. THE DESTRUCTION THEY COULD CAUSE
IS UNFATHOMABLE.
THE ONE OBSTACLE TO A MISSILE DEFENSE, SAID SENATOR HELMS, IS THE
ANTI-BALLISTIC MISSILE TREATY WITH RUSSIA THAT BANS SUCH A SYSTEM
FOR BOTH COUNTRIES. IGNORE THE TREATY, SAID SENATOR HELMS, SINCE
IT WAS NEGOTIATED WITH THE SOVIET UNION, WHICH NO LONGER EXISTS:
// HELMS ACT //
THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION WANTS TO NEGOTIATE PERMISSION
FROM RUSSIA OVER WHETHER THE UNITED STAES CAN PROTECT
ITSELF FROM BALLISTIC MISSILE ATTACK BY NORTH KOREA, FOR
EXAMPLE. THE A-B-M TREATY IS, WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, THE
ROOT OF OUR PROBLEMS. SO LONG AS THE A-B-M TREATY IS A
CORNERSTONE OF U-S SECURITY POLICY, AS (NATIONAL
SECURITY ADVISER SAMUEL) BERGER PUTS IT, WE WILL NEVER,
NEVER BE ABLE TO DEPLOY A NATIONWIDE MISSILE DEFENSE
THAT WILL PROVIDE REAL SECURITY FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
// END ACT //
SENATOR HELMS SAID BECAUSE OF ITS SCRUPLES OVER THE TREATY, THE
CLINTON ADMINISTRATION HAS PROPOSED A FAR TOO LIMTED MISSILE
DEFENSE.
BUT WOULD ONE WORK? ASKS JOSEPH CIRINCIONE, AN ANALYST AT THE
PRIVATE "CARNEGIE ENDOWMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL PEACE," AND A
SPECIALIST ON MISSILES. HE NOTES THAT MORE THAN 45-BILLION
DOLLARS IN RESEARCH HAVE NOT LED TO A BREAKTHROUGH IN MISSILE
DEFENSE, AND MOST TESTS HAVE ENDED IN FAILURE.
HE BELIEVES THE ISSUE IS DRIVEN BY POLITICS, IN PARTICULAR BY
CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICANS IN THE U-S CONGRESS:
// CIRINCIONE ACT //
THEY TAKE IT AS AN ARTICLE OF FAITH THAT THEY WANT TO
BRING ABOUT PRESIDENT REAGAN'S ORIGINAL "STAR WARS"
DREAM. AND WE ARE SEEING THAT IN SOME OF THE BILLS THAT
HAVE ALREADY BEEN INTRODUCED, MANDATING DEPLOYMENT OF A
MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM AND IN THE PERSISTANCE OF THE
SENIOR REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP. THEY ARE JUST NOT GIVING
UP.
// END ACT //
NO TREATY IS BEYOND REVISION, SAYS MR. CIRINCIONE, AND CAN BE
ALTERED TO REFLECT CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES. BUT THERE IS A DANGER
IN SCRAPPING THE A-B-M AGREEMENT:
// CIRINCIONE ACT //
IF YOU DEPLOY A STRATEGIC DEFENSIVE SYSTEM, IT IS GOING
TO STIMULATE THE OTHER GUY'S OFFENSIVE CAPABILITIES.
THEY ARE GOING TO FEEL OBLIGED TO INCREASE THEIR
OFFENSIVE FORCES OR TAKE STEPS TO COUNTER ANY DEFENSES
THAT YOU PUT UP. WE CERTAINLY WOULD, AND IN FACT, WE DID
WHEN THE SOVIETS DEPLOYED A BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSE
SYSTEM IN THE 1970'S. THIS IS AN INESCAPABLE MILITARY
LOGIC THAT HAS BEEN THE SAME FOR CENTURIES.
// END ACT //
A U-S DEFENSE SYSTEM WOULD BE DESTABILIZING, SAYS MR. CIRINCIONE,
WITHOUT A STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK TO TAKE ITS PLACE. GIVEN THE BASIC
FRAILTY OF ANY DEFENSE, HE BELIEVES AN EFFORT SHOULD BE MADE TO
ELIMINATE MISSILES ON A GLOBAL BASIS. THE WORLD ONCE GOT ALONG
WITHOUT THEM. IT COULD AGAIN.
OR IS THAT, TOO, A DREAM? ASK PROPONENTS OF A MISSILE DEFENSE IN
A DEBATE THAT IS SURE TO CONTINUE. (SIGNED)
NEB/EW/RRM
22-Jan-99 5:08 PM EST (2208 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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