Hagel Pressed to Add East Coast Missile Defense Site

[Purveyor]

Source: Bloomberg

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel should include funds in the Pentagon’s next budget request to start work on a U.S. East Coast site for 20 anti-missile interceptors as a defense against Iran, House Republicans said.

The plea for “not less than $250 million” in the fiscal 2014 budget to be presented next month was made yesterday in a letter from 19 Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee, led by Representative Howard P. “Buck” McKeon of California, the committee’s chairman.

For the second consecutive year, the lawmakers are pushing for an East Coast array of interceptors to complement the 30 already deployed in a $34 billion system on the West Coast. They seized on Hagel’s announcement March 15 of plans to add 14 more in Alaska by fiscal 2017 to counter escalating threats from North Korea as it seeks to develop nuclear weapons.

“There is no legitimate reason to not similarly defend the eastern third of the U.S. from Iranian missiles,” they said in the letter.

Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-03-20/hagel-pressed-to-add-east-coast-missile-defense-site.html

[adieu]

1. There is a legitimate reason not to do so

There are no iranian missiles capable of crossing the atlantic ocean.

[TwilightGardener]

2. Twenty? From zero to twenty? We already have them in Europe.

That's a lot of money to blow when we might be taking out Iran's capabilities in the near term--just sayin'. And they don't even HAVE a weapon yet, unlike NK. Either Mckeon is betting on no Iran strike, or knows we'll probably strike but just wants to give defense contractors a huge gift for nothing.

[RC]

3. What the East coast really needs are some honest, competent psychologist to evaluate the government

idiots that think shit like this is a good idea. And have the power to commit them for long term therapy, if necessary.

[Bonhomme Richard]

4. Hey, more corporate welfare. n/t

[PSPS]

5. More money laundering

It works this way:

1. Republicans shovel taxpayer money to their crony "defense contractors."
2. CEO's of these firms get to buy more villas, islands, trophy wives, etc.
3. A portion of this taxpayer-funded windfall is dutifully laundered back to republicans as "campaign contributions."

What a country.

[DallasNE]

6. What About The Shield Built In Poland And The Czech Republic?

That was sold as a defense against missiles from Iran too. And how do we pay for this. Ryan doesn't include it in his budget that is to be voted on today. Boehner has said not one penny more in revenue so this new spending would take more away from other spending. How much redundancy do these people think we need and at the expense of everything else. This is just more playing of the fear card and reminds me of Reagan's rapid expansion of obsolete MX missiles that exploded the deficit -- Reagan didn't like to pay for anything either.

[SCVDem]

7. We already have East Coast interceptors

Based in Virginia and Florida sits the unused F-22.

What can a ground intercept missle do that an air launch can't?

Especially against a made up threat like Iran firing a missle at us.

Everyone knows you get one shot before we nuke your country into a parking lot.

Someone thinks we all are Fox viewers.

[n2doc]

8. Fine. Drop the sequester then and then Hagel can do it. n/t

[TwilightGardener]

9. Yep. He should work a deal. But Obama gives the final approval on such matters,

I would think.

[n2doc]

11. I would expect that Obama or his team would be the ones to do negotiating.

I just know the repubs won't agree to anything. This should be a standard rejoinder "Well, we could do that with more funds, but are limited by the sequester. Unless you want to suggest another military spending project we can cut to pay for it-Sorry. "

[IDemo]

10. Hmmm....

Better include some sites in Maine. I think Nova Scotia may be up to no good.

[AtheistCrusader]

12. Oh, the year was 1778, HOW I WISH I WAS IN SHERBROOKE NOW!

A letter of marque came from the King,
to the scummiest vessel I'd ever seen,

God damn them all!
I was told we'd cruse the seas for American gold
We'd fire no guns-shed no tears!
Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier,
The last of Barrett's Privateers!

(Stan Rogers, Barrett's Privateers)

[dixiegrrrrl]

14. Wow..that has lost no power over the years.

[bemildred]

13. What about the debt? nt

[xtraxritical]

15. I hear the Rooskis are trying to ressurect the USSR. Now there's a foe worth bankruptcy.

[Purveyor]

17. Actually I hope they do step up and challenge the 'wests' crusades that have put the middle east

in turmoil.

[John2]

16. A missile shield against

Iran on the East coast of the United States, give me break! Iran needs a missile shield against these nuts! They are the ones threating War all the time! Those rightwing nuts are even threatening War against us with their gun nut tirades. We need a shield against them!