ummm why do we need missle defense?

[LSK]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States successfully tested a Boeing Co.-managed missile defense system aimed at thwarting a limited, long-range ballistic missile attack, but did not use a live target, the Pentagon announced.

A ground-based interceptor missile was launched from Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands against a simulated target, the Pentagon's Missile Defense Agency said late on Tuesday night.

snip

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051214/pl_nm/arms_missile_usa_dc_1

Ummm, does Osama bin Ladin now carry camel mounted ballastic missles???

[LeftNYC]

1. to protect us from those trying to take Christ out of Christmas

of course...:sarcasm:

[NanceGreggs]

2. No, but if OBL ever shows up anywhere near ...

... the Kawjalein Atoll, WE'LL ZAP HIM GOOD!

What a waste of money ...

[arcane1]

3. my guess:

once the U.S. has horded all of the planet's resources, then Russia, China, Japan, etc, are gonna be pissed

I just pulled that out of my ass, but it's as good an answer as I can think of

[savemefromdumbya]

4. missle-toe?

kind of weird spending our taxpayers' money to this extent whilst some guy with a suitcase with nuke could just blow part of a city up. They just like playing star wars.

[Telly Savalas]

14. Back in the day, missile defence was called "Star Wars"

I don't see why that convention needs to stop.

[baldguy]

5. To protect airliners from box cutters

And to allow drilling in ANWR

[uppityperson]

6. why do you hate america?

[kenny blankenship]

7. In the event of an attack from God

who, please bear in mind, was a very active and enthusiastic combatant in Biblical days and who attacked the whole world with ecoterrorism at one time if you remember--or perhaps in the event of an attack by rogue elements of the Heavenly Host--the Strategic Defense Initiative could be our only line of defense. Son of God, meet Son of Star Wars. Say hello to my little friend!

God has not disarmed and it's impossible to know what is going on in the inscrutable mind of a mad dictator who even by his own admission wants to rule the whole Universe. He has however a documented history of aggression. That much we know. We simply can't wait for confirmation in the form of mushroom clouds that his awesome destructive capabilities are accompanied by a hostile intent. What is his reason for maintaining and developing his annihilative capabilities, after all, if not to further some new hostile ambition in our region? It is up to him to prove the opposite is true! Meanwhile, we must prepare. We would be remiss in our duties and renegade to our oath of office if we did not prepare; and having prepared we must be ready to act.

[AlCzervik]

8. because we have large defense contractors that own the congress.

[The_Casual_Observer]

9. This is supposed to "protect" us from the threat of an ICBM

However, the chances of it actually doing that are probably less than zero, however, it's as good a place as any to piss away tax payers money and keep engineers busy.

[davidinalameda]

10. when Kodiak, Alaska invades the US

A ground-based interceptor missile was launched from Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands against a simulated target, the Pentagon's Missile Defense Agency said late on Tuesday night.

The simulation was based on a hypothetical missile launch from Kodiak, Alaska, using data from previous launches, said the agency, known as MDA.

[RC]

11. They even miss when the "target" missile has a homing device.

So now the only way they can sell this shit is to simulate it. This is good and helping people so this is totally unnecessary is bad?

[FloridaPat]

12. Fast & easy way to get $1 trillion into defense contractors hands

while still playing the "defense of our country" card.

[Telly Savalas]

13. Which is precisely why any post that uses the phrase "Fiscal Conservatism"

non-ironically should be deleted.