From CQ Politics:North Korea’s latest round of saber-rattling will be front and center in the coming national debate over missile defense, perhaps prompting some lawmakers to think twice about the Obama administration’s plan to reshape the military.
After the hermitic Stalinist country set off a nuclear device and test-fired several short-range missiles this week, conservative lawmakers and former officials linked the event to their decades-long drive to increase funding and support for a worldwide missile “shield” designed to detect and destroy ballistic missiles fired at the United States or its allies.
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My Comment: The original purpose for the U.S. missile defense program was to never be a counter to the then Soviet Union, but to be used as a tool against rogue nations like North Korea and their missile programs. In short .... the missile program was never envisioned to stop hundreds of missiles .... but to stop a few from a smaller power.
This is the debate that is now going to happen .... and for proponents of the U.S. Missile Defense program .... they definitely now feel comfortable (thanks to North Korea) that they can make their case.