For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
December 17, 2002
President Announces Progress in Missile Defense Capabilities
Statement by the President
When I came to office, I made a commitment to transform America's
national security strategy and defense capabilities to meet the threats
of the 21st century. Today, I am pleased to announce that we will take
another important step in countering these threats by beginning to
field missile defense capabilities to protect the United States, as
well as our friends and allies. These initial capabilities emerge from
our research and development program and build on the test bed that we
have been constructing. While modest, these capabilities will add to
America's security and serve as a starting point for improved and
expanded capabilities later, as further progress is made in researching
and developing missile defense technologies and in light of changes in
the threat.
September 11, 2001 underscored that our Nation faces unprecedented
threats, in a world that has changed greatly since the Cold War. To
better protect our country against the threats of today and tomorrow,
my Administration has developed a new national security strategy, and
new supporting strategies for making our homeland more secure and for
combating weapons of mass destruction. Throughout my Administration, I
have made clear that the United States will take every necessary
measure to protect our citizens against what is perhaps the gravest
danger of all: the catastrophic harm that may result from hostile
states or terrorist groups armed with weapons of mass destruction and
the means to deliver them.
Missile defenses have an important role to play in this effort.
The United States has moved beyond the doctrine of Cold War deterrence
reflected in the 1972 ABM Treaty. At the same time we have established
a positive relationship with Russia that includes partnership in
counterterrorism and in other key areas of mutual concern. We have
adopted a new concept of deterrence that recognizes that missile
defenses will add to our ability to deter those who may contemplate
attacking us with missiles. Our withdrawal from the ABM Treaty has
made it possible to develop and test the full range of missile defense
technologies, and to deploy defenses capable of protecting our
territory and our cities.
I have directed the Secretary of Defense to proceed with fielding
an initial set of missile defense capabilities. We plan to begin
operating these initial capabilities in 2004 and 2005, and they will
include ground-based interceptors, sea-based interceptors, additional
Patriot (PAC-3) units, and sensors based on land, at sea, and in
space.
Because the threats of the 21st century also endanger our friends
and allies around the world, it is essential that we work together to
defend against them. The Defense Department will develop and deploy
missile defenses capable of protecting not only the United States and
our deployed forces, but also our friends and allies. The United
States will also structure our missile defense program in a manner that
encourages industrial participation by other nations. Demonstrating
the important role played by our friends and allies, as part of our
initial missile defense capabilities, the United States will seek
agreement from the United Kingdom and Denmark to upgrade early-warning
radars on their territory.
The new strategic challenges of the 21st century require us to
think differently, but they also require us to act. The deployment of
missile defenses is an essential element of our broader efforts to
transform our defense and deterrence policies and capabilities to meet
the new threats we face. Defending the American people against these
new threats is my highest priority as Commander-in-Chief, and the
highest priority of my Administration.
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