Obama’s Missile Defense Program: Talking Points

SUMMARY

This memo provides talking points to discuss President Obama’s recently announced plans for missile defense in Eastern Europe and the Middle East.

On September 17, President Obama announced a new plan for U.S. national missile defenses (NMD) to protect the United States, our NATO allies and Israel from a growing Iranian threat. The President scrapped the Bush administration’s proposed system of ten interceptor missile silos and a missile defense radar system in the Czech Republic that would not be operational until 2017.

Instead, the United States will deploy a system that begins to provide protection by 2011 and is able to respond to real, present threats: the short and medium range missiles Iran already possesses. Conservatives have responded to the announcement in a predictable manner, with out of touch comments based on ideology rather than dealing with real threats. This memo provides talking points to discuss the President’s decision and to respond to conservative attacks.

To read these Talking Points, open the attached PDF