As Secretary of Defense, I am coming out in opposition to this bill. As a country, we cannot simply give up on developing a workable missile defense system, as this bill calls for. If we can develop this system, it will enable us to better negotiate with the North Koreans in our efforts to get them to disband their nuclear arsenal. We can negotiate more effectively from a position of strength than one of weakness, and whether we can defend ourselves from an attack is part of what determines that. This is in reality a security measure, and if we can create a workable missile defense system, the Atlasian people will be safer. This is not some ego thing for the military to be even stronger than the rest of the world, this is a national security matter. We must be prepared. The risk is too big not to be.
It is worth noting that we are only spending $1 billion per year, which is only 10% of what was originally allotted in the old, real life budget.
I concur with the Secretary's oppostion to this Bill for the reasons he has stated
'Hawk'
