[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 133 (Friday, October 5, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1827-E1828]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               MISSILE DEFENSE NEEDED NOW MORE THAN EVER

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BOB SCHAFFER

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 5, 2001

  Mr. SCHAFFER. Mr. Speaker, How ridiculous it would be to start 
leaving the front door unlocked just because burglars had recently 
found it easier to enter through the back window. When it comes to 
national defense, America will regret leaving its front door wide open.
  Our military's preparation and emphasis on modern warfare proved 
insufficient in preventing last month's terrorist attacks. 
Appropriately, congress reacted by devoting greater resources to 
preventing future acts of terrorism and compensating for certain 
weaknesses. But the needs for modern defenses have not diminished. In 
fact, they have only become more acute.
  The United states needs to broaden its response to the terrorist 
attack on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. It is not enough to 
focus on stopping terrorist attacks using commercial airlines, or the 
buildup of air power in the Middle East and Southwest Asia, or covert 
operations in Afghanistan against Osama bin Laden. The United States 
must not neglect building a defense against ballistic missiles and the 
possibility of terrorists making an unauthorized launch of ballistic 
missiles. Instead of the loss of six thousand lives, the United States 
could lose six million.
  Even the accidental launch of ballistic missiles is possible, for 
example, from Russian nuclear-missile-carrying submarines where the 
command and control of nuclear missiles is much less secure than for 
United States ballistic missile submarines. Russian land-based or road-
mobile ICBMs are also less secure than American Weapon systems and 
could similarly be taken over by terrorists and launched. Nor are 
accidents unthinkable. As recently as January of 1995 a Norwegian 
sounding rocket activated Boris Yeltsin's portable nuclear command 
briefcase for initiating a retaliatory missile strike against the 
United States.
  In the early 1990's the United States recognized the threat of an 
accidental or unauthorized (terrorist) launch of ballistic missiles in 
President Bush's plan for building a ballistic missile defense called 
Global Protection Against Limited strikes (GPALS). To protect the 
United States from accidental or terrorist launches or rogue nations 
like North Korea, President Bush proposed building a space-based 
defense including high-energy lasers and Brilliant Pebbles 
interceptors. Unfortunately, Congress under funded the program, and 
President Clinton discontinued it.
  The United States faces serious international implications affecting 
its security. On September 11, the same day of the attacks on the World 
Trade Center and Pentagon, China signed a memorandum of understanding 
to provide economic and technical aid to the Taliban. For two years, 
Chinese companies have assisted the Taliban in its efforts to improve 
its telephone system in Kabul.
  Unfortunately, the Congress is considering using the war on terrorism 
as a excuse to cut its ballistic missile defense programs, especially 
space-based defenses, evidently unaware of how china has threatened it 
with long-range missiles and is engaged in an aggressive arms buildup. 
China's ambitious buildup includes its DF-31 ICBM and JL-2 SLBM. 
China's road-mobile DF-31, which has been flight-tested and forms part 
of its Long Wall Project aimed at the United States, its forces, and 
allies particularly in the Pacific.
  The war on terrorism extends to Iraq, which has helped equip Osama 
bin Laden with

[[Page E1828]]

chemical weapons. It extends to the war on drugs as drugs are used to 
finance terrorism. Much of the world's supply of heroin comes from 
Afghanistan. The war on terrorism also extends to U.S. relations with 
other countries and alliances, and the alliances china is forming to 
increase its international influence and control.
  Beneath the war on terrorism is a reluctance of the United States to 
end its vulnerability to ballistic missiles, unwilling to confront 
their use by terrorists or in acts of war by countries such as China, 
Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, and others. Most importantly, the 
Congress, in passing the $343 billion House Defense Authorization Bill, 
cut its space-based ballistic missile defense programs by $400 million, 
which will continue to leave millions of Americans vulnerable to 
destruction by ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons.
  If the United States is to succeed in its war against terrorism, it 
must act decisively against Osama bin Laden, confiscate his nuclear 
devices and destroy his chemical weapons. At the same time America must 
guard itself against ballistic missiles, realizing that ballistic 
missiles can be hijacked by terrorists. It must rebuild its military 
strength and intelligence. It must build the best ballistic missile 
defense it can by accelerating its Navy Theater Wide program, and 
emphasizing space-based defenses, including high-energy lasers, 
Brilliant Pebbles interceptors, and particle beams.
  Thriving democracy, abundant liberty and glorious freedom are the 
legacy of our republic. These profound American qualities continue to 
be the envy of the world and the hope for humanity; and they only exist 
today because of God's blessings and America's commitment to a robust, 
and proficient defensive capability. Flinging wide open America's front 
door is an invitation to an even greater, and more cataclysmic frontal 
attack upon our liberty.

                          ____________________