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07 September 2001

Fact Sheet: State Dept. on Missile Defense and Deterrence

(Reliable Deterrence seen as a Critical Objective) (970)
The following fact sheet was prepared by the Arms Control Bureau of
the U.S. Department of State. It cites emerging threats and a need to
diversify the U.S. approach to deterrence, and touches upon U.S.
missile defense and Russia and China.
(begin fact sheet)
[U.S. Department of State
Washington, D.C.
September 7, 2001]
Deterrence must and will remain a critical component of our security
posture. Yet, many of the conditions and assumptions that long guided
the way we thought about deterrence and its supporting strategic force
posture have changed fundamentally. Deterrence can involve more than
just the threat to retaliate in the event of an attack. It can also be
based on the ability to prevent potential adversaries from achieving
their objectives thereby deterring them from pursuing such objectives
in the first place. The United States is developing a forward-looking
strategy that takes into account the changing nature of the threats we
face, as well as the full range of capabilities that we can marshal to
protect our nation and its vital interests, as well as meet our
commitments to friends and allies.
Deterrence Is Our Highest Priority
Maintaining a reliable deterrent against attacks on the United States
and our allies is a critical objective of our national security
strategy. Our nation always prefers peaceful means to maintain its own
security and prosperity, and that of its friends and allies, but
maintains the military capabilities needed to deter and defend against
the threat or potential use of force by prospective adversaries.
Our deterrence strategy to date has largely relied on our ability to
respond to attack with a variety of options, ranging from a
devastating retaliation through more selective strikes, and our
offensive nuclear forces are and will remain a key component of that
capability. No group or nation should doubt that the United States
will continue to depend on the certainty of a devastating response to
any attack on the United States or its allies to deter attacks by
ballistic missiles or other weapons.
Emerging Threats and the Need to Diversify our Approach to Deterrence
However, given the new threats we all face -- especially from weapons
of mass destruction and increasingly sophisticated ballistic missiles
in the hands of rogue states -- our deterrence posture can no longer
rely exclusively on the threat of retaliation. We now need a strategy
based on an appropriate mix of offensive and defensive capabilities to
deny potential adversaries the opportunities and benefits they might
hope to realize from the threat or use of weapons of mass destruction
against our homeland and forces deployed abroad, as well as those of
our allies and friends.
Today, we are confronted with a more diverse, less predictable, and
less risk-averse group of hostile states that are aggressively seeking
to develop or acquire weapons of mass destruction and longer-range
missiles as a means of their delivery. They see such weapons both as
operational weapons of war and as coercive tools of diplomacy to
preclude us and our partners from assisting friends and allies in
regions of vital interest. For such threats, deterrence must take
advantage of the contribution of both offensive and defensive forces,
working together.
Ballistic missile defenses enhance the traditional deterrence of
offensive capabilities by denying rogue states the ability to reliably
and predictably inflict mass destruction on other nations. By
complicating his calculation of success, these defenses add to a
potential aggressor's uncertainty and weaken his confidence. Effective
missile defenses may also serve to undercut the value potential
aggressor's place on missiles as a means of delivery, thereby
advancing our non-proliferation goals. With these considerations in
mind, missile defenses can be a force for stability and security.
Moreover, some potential threats, such as accidental or unauthorized
launches of ballistic missiles, cannot be deterred by their very
nature. They can only be defended against. To counter such
contingencies, missile defenses provide an element of insurance that
supplements and enhances their deterrent value.
A New Relationship with Russia
We are committed to creating a new strategic and diplomatic
relationship with Russia; one founded not on common vulnerabilities,
but on common interests and shared objectives. As Secretary of State
Colin L. Powell has said: "it is time to change the nuclear equation
of mutual assured destruction to a more sensible strategic
arrangement." While we seek to persuade Russia to join us in further
reducing our nuclear arsenals, we are also prepared to lead by
example. Therefore, we are committed to ensuring that this new
strategic framework with Russia is characterized by efforts to achieve
the lowest levels of nuclear weapons consistent with our present and
future national security needs. Our missile defenses will not threaten
Russia's deterrent forces.
Missile Defense and China
Our missile defenses will be designed to deter and defend against
small-scale attacks from rogue states, as well as from accidental or
unauthorized attacks from any source. As a force for stability and
security in both the Asian region and the world at large, defense and
deterrence working together advance goals of regional peace and
stability which we share with China. Missile defense is not intended
as a threat to China's deterrent forces.
Summary
Finally, it is worth emphasizing that missile defenses are only one
tool among many in maintaining peace, security, and stability, and
must be considered within the context of our entire strategic
framework. This framework includes offensive nuclear arms as well as
our broader diplomatic and security activities, including arms control
and nonproliferation efforts. This diversified approach to deterrence
is appropriate for the complex and less predictable world in which we
live.
(end fact sheet)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)



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