Some congressional leaders want to prevent missile defense from succeeding

Friday’s successful advanced missile defense test, which shot down a mock nuclear warhead in space, shows that the US is getting closer to defending the country against ballistic missile attack.

Incredibly, some leaders in Congress – led by Rep. John Spratt and Sen. Carl Levin – continue to try to prevent national missile defense from succeeding.

It’s politically more difficult for politicians to oppose missile defense now, so Capitol Hill opponents are pretending to be in favor while sabotaging programs to prevent actual deployment. Methods include:

• Cancel systems that would defend the continental US, while preserving systems that would defend other countries;

• Hobble missile defense by cutting out key components, and micromanage what’s left to impede progress;

• Attempt to slash as much as $2 billion, claiming to “cut waste";

• Say these "small" reductions will “protect” missile defense from harder-core opponents demanding bigger cuts;

• Portray any test results as proof national missile defense isn’t feasible.