We Must Be Committed to Missile Defense

A successful strike during Friday’s test of our national missile defense system is proof positive that this technology is improving to better protect our nation from the threat of a missile strike. In a world where rogue regimes like North Korea and Iran seek to acquire missile technology and nuclear weapons to threaten the sovereignty of the United States, we must remain committed more than ever to the development of a national missile defense system.

Friday’s launch mirrored a scenario in which North Korea launched a Taepodong-2 missile toward a city on the West Coast of the United States. North Korea currently possesses the technology to achieve the capability to strike a target in the western United States, and I am confident in our efforts to develop a missile defense shield that thwarts a North Korean attack.

I encourage Lt. General Obering and the Missile Defense Agency to continue its rigorous testing to enhance the reliability of our defense strike capability. Not every test will be as successful as Friday, but it is through these tests that the United States will be able to better protect its citizens and allies.