Fwd: Morning Bell: What Reagan Knew About Missile Defense---as they have destroyed our space capability!!!

Sent from my iPad

Begin forwarded message:

From: "The Heritage Foundation" <morningbell@heritage.org>
Date: March 19, 2013 4:10:08 AM GMT-06:00
To: Bobby Martin <bobbygmartin1938@gmail.com>
Subject: Morning Bell: What Reagan Knew About Missile Defense
Reply-To: morningbell@heritage.org

To ensure email delivery directly to your inbox, please add
morningbell@heritage.org to your address book now.

If you're having trouble viewing this message, please view it online.

03/19/2013 What Reagan Knew About Missile Defense It would take only 33 minutes for a missile to reach the U.S. from anywhere in the world. That's a sobering thought when North Korea is taunting America with threatening video propaganda about its nuclear capabilities and Iran is advancing its nuclear program. In response to these threats, the Obama Administration announced Friday that it would increase the number of Ground-Based Midcourse Defense Interceptors protecting the U.S. from 30 to 44. These 30 interceptors allowed White House spokesman Jay Carney to state that the U.S. is "fully capable of defending itself" against a North Korean ballistic missile attack. He didn't mention that the Obama Administration has tried to undermine the long-range missile defense program since it came into office, including announcing the "restructure" of the advanced SM-3 IIB interceptor program designed to protect the U.S. and allies from a long-range ballistic missile threat. As Heritage's Michaela Dodge explained: When the Administration took office four years ago, it scaled down the number of interceptors protecting the U.S. from 54 to 30. This included cutting 10 interceptors in Poland and 14 in Alaska. The Administration justified its step by saying that the missile defense threat has not progressed as fast as the Bush Administration expected—this despite the fact that both North Korea and Iran have been very public about their efforts to develop long-range ballistic missile capabilities. President Obama famously told Russia's then-President Dmitry Medvedev that after the 2012 election, he would have more "flexibility" on missile defense. Just last Friday, his new Secretary of Defense, Chuck Hagel, announced a restructuring of U.S. missile defense priorities to focus more on Alaska-based and California-based missile interceptors. This shift away from commitments to deploy advanced interceptors to Poland and Romania is exactly what the Russians have been demanding. Thirty years ago this week, President Ronald Reagan asked a question that is just as vital today: "[W]hich part of our defense measures do we believe we can do without and still have security against all contingencies?" >>> Watch Reagan's 1983 speech about the Strategic Defense Initiative To protect America, all contingencies must be covered. And as Heritage President-elect Jim DeMint has said recently, missile defense works. It works because the only sure way to deter an attack against the U.S. is to make certain it isn't worth it for the attacker. As Reagan said: "Deterrence'' means simply this: making sure any adversary who thinks about attacking the United States, or our allies, or our vital interests, concludes that the risks to him outweigh any potential gains. Once he understands that, he won't attack. We maintain the peace through our strength; weakness only invites aggression. Tweet this quote Today, The Heritage Foundation and the George C. Marshall Institute are co-hosting an event commemorating the 30th anniversary of Reagan's landmark speech on missile defense and discussing the challenges of protecting our nation, then and now. Speakers include Ambassador Henry Cooper, Dr. Lee Edwards, Dr. Kim Holmes, Jeff Kueter, Representative Mike Rogers (R-AL), and Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH). The event runs from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. ET, and you can watch online throughout. Read the Morning Bell and more every day en español at Heritage Libertad. Print | Comments | Forward FEATURED POSTS Ideology, Not Science, Behind Redefining Marriage Federal Pay and the Ryan Budget: Brazen Falsehoods from a Federal Employee Union Ryan House Budget Would End Spending on High-Speed Rail Kerry Signals Conditional U.S. Commitment to U.N. Arms Trade Treaty Obamacare: Projected Premium Increases by State QUICK HITS Secretary of State John Kerry has signaled conditional U.S. support for the U.N.'s Arms Trade Treaty, which is being negotiated at yet another U.N. conference this week. Heritage's Ted Bromund is at the conference, and he has laid out why the U.S. cannot fix the treaty. A report from Israel says that 5,000 police will be involved in providing security for President Obama's visit this week. What if the government said it was just going to take extra taxes out of your bank account? That's what residents of Cyprus are facing. The conservative Republican Study Committee also has a new budget proposal—and this one would balance the U.S. budget in four years. Does the U.S. really have a trade deficit? The answer may surprise you. Know anyone who shares your conservative values and principles and may want to receive the Heritage Foundation newsletters?  Please refer them to Heritage today! Connect with Heritage Facebook Twitter YouTube Kindle Flickr The Heritage Foundation 214 Massachusetts Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20002-4999 Call us at (202) 546-4400 Add morningbell@heritage.org to your address book to ensure that you receive emails from us.

You are subscribed to this newsletter as bobbygmartin1938@gmail.com. If you want to receive other Heritage Foundation newsletters or opt out of this newsletter please click here to update your subscription preferences.