DATE=10/12/1999
TYPE=EDITORIAL
TITLE=EDITORIAL: MISSILE DEFENSE SUCCESS
NUMBER=0-08483
CONTENT=
THIS IS THE ONLY EDITORIAL BEING RELEASED
FOR BROADCAST 10/12/99.
Anncr: The Voice of America presents differing
points of view on a wide variety of issues. Next,
an editorial expressing the policies of the United
States Government:
Voice: This month, the United States conducted
another successful missile defense test. High
above the Pacific Ocean, an interceptor hit a
target warhead at a speed of about twenty-four
thousand kilometers per hour and completely
destroyed it. The target warhead had been
released from a modified Minuteman
intercontinental ballistic missile launched from
California. It was hit by a prototype "kill
vehicle" launched twenty minutes later from the
Marshall Islands, nearly seven-thousand kilometers
away.
The test demonstrated the ability to hit and
destroy a warhead traveling at an extremely high
speed from thousands of kilometers away. This
capability shows that it would be possible to
destroy or neutralize a nuclear, chemical, or
biological warhead before it could cause any harm.
If developed and deployed, such a missile defense
could protect the U.S. from a missile attack
launched by a rogue state or by international
terrorists capable of developing or acquiring
long-range ballistic missiles.
A U.S. decision to deploy a national missile
defense against long-range ballistic missiles
could be as early next year. More tests will be
required, and U.S. officials will have to weigh
the results. Among other factors, the cost of
such a system will have to be considered.
This is the second successful missile defense test
in recent months. In June, a system known as
THAAD, or Theater High Altitude Area Defense, was
tested in the skies over the U.S. state of New
Mexico. In that test, an interceptor destroyed a
Scud-like missile launched from nearly two-hundred
kilometers away. Over the next decade, a theater
missile defense will be deployed to protect U.S.
troops in the Middle East, South Korea, or
elsewhere against missiles like the Scuds that
Iraq launched in the Persian Gulf War. Some
twenty-five countries, including Iraq, Iran, and
North Korea, already have such missiles.
Countering the threat from long-range and theater
missiles will require continuing technical
advances and diplomatic initiatives. Both will be
necessary to insure that the U.S. remains secure.
Anncr: That was an editorial expressing the
policies of the United States Government. If you
have a comment, please write to Editorials, V-O-A,
Washington, D-C, 20547, U-S-A. You may also
comment at www-dot-voa-dot-gov-slash-editorials,
or fax us at (202) 619-1043.
08-Oct-1999 12:24 PM EDT (08-Oct-1999 1624 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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