The Conflict

The George W. Bush administration has pushed ahead with plans for a U.S. National Missile Defense (NMD) program to be deployed in about 2005 at tremendous cost and with questionable feasibility. Critics say that deployment of the NMD could threaten the world security environment by fueling an arms race and make enemies out of current allies.

Political

• With "rogue states" such as North Korea and Iraq developing nuclear arsenals, those in favor of developing the NMD argue for the system as insurance against nuclear terrorism. Opponents favor diplomacy and engagement and point to the infeasibility of the program.
• The United States and the Soviet Union limited themselves in the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty to two anti-ballistic missile sites, later cut to one each...