The Urgent Need to Defend America

We can defend America. And we must.

by Rod D. Martin
November 7, 1997

In our ongoing series of articles on issues for a new Contract With America, nothing could be more basic -- or more vital -- than defending America from weapons of mass destruction. Taken up in the first Contract, passed by both House and Senate only to be vetoed by Bill Clinton, missile defense must take center stage in the new Republican program, both in legislation and in public debate.

Ask the average American if he is defended from at least small scale missile attacks and he'll tell you yes. He watched CNN: he saw Patriot missiles shoot down Iraqi Scuds. He knows hundreds of billions of dollars are spent every year on defense. He knows technology improves every day. He trusts his government to defend him; after all, his government defends Bosnia, Kuwait, and half the rest of the world, so isn't it obvious that Memphis and Anchorage are defended?

But of course, it isn't obvious at all. There is no provision to defend even one square inch of North Amer…