Right on BW. Anglers do think and talk about politics, sports, music etc. while out there fishing, right? No reason to put on single minded blinders here then. Especially when people can "click" around it if they want.

I understand your paragraph CWU of

"This is how missile defense was explained to me by a professor of political science. The problem with creating this system is that it will not be 100% effective and no one if foolish to expect it will be ever 100%. Analysts aren't even sure it will work at all, but what if it only brought down 50% or 90% of the missiles launched at the US? Just a few nuclear warheads would cause incredible amounts distruction. Which if the anti-missile system is suppose to prevent, but can't 100% of the time, why undertake the biggest expenditure in history for technology that won't "make us sleep better at night?"

But there is a big "elephant in the room" omitted from your analysis. I am referring to the tremendous deterant factor of a high tech anti-missile system on "would be" missile tossers at America. Dont think there will be any shortage of them before the end of this millenium either. Heres a little analogy that might shed light on it. If a real bad criminal dude pointed a gun at you, and you only had a gun, chances are that a crazed dude just might think pulling the trigger first could get him what he wants (dont dismiss that factor - remember Pearl Harbor?). Now if that same bad dude wanted something from you, and had a gun at his side, but knew you were standing behind bullet proof glass, and can also see your gun thats ready to shoot back, do you think he would be dumb enough to take a chance that his bullet could pearce the sheild, also knowing he'd suffer your gun then going off at him? I dont think so!

Every country in the world saw how superior and effective our technology shined in the recent war with Saddam's regime. Even if dangerous regimes such as from the wealthy middle eastern countries, and places like North Korea and Pakistan and even China and Russia, only "thought" our anti-missle system were, say around 75% effective in general and even more effective around our key military compounds that deliver our missiles, what do you think is the immeasurable value in that?! Immense. If the systems were 50% effective, our enemies wont know that. They will think long and hard about how much more effective they might be. It will change the dynamics of the whole friggen mess on this planet! The US does not have to or have policy to launch missiles at other countries. Other countries gaining nuks just might. In all likelyhood they eventually will use them if they thought they could get away with it! <img border="0" alt="[eat]" title="" src="graemlins/eat.gif" /> Not if we have these new systems in place. I lean to the left but I would and will vote for money to be put into to these systems!

That doesnt mean any less attention to the necessary Homeland Security against terrorism. They are not mutually exclusive, even in times of tight money. Money for domestic assistance programs wont mean crap in the not too distant future if those two major protection systems arent in place for this coming mellenium. If you dont believe that then go live in Israel for awhile to see what could become the lifestyle we will have further forced upon us if we dont "take care of business"!