Mentalities behind US missile defense

The United States is planning to deploy its National Missile Defense (NMD) system in Eastern Europe, and is considering expanding it to the Caucasus area. By now, Washington has received support from thirteen countries worldwide regarding the NMD deployment.

The following are some of the mentalities behind the US's painstaking efforts to stretch its missile defense across the globe:

First, "absolute security". The US is a young country whose metropolitan territory has not been invaded in more than 200 years. The "Pearl Harbor" incident during World War II was an assault on its enclave, and "September 11th" was a terrorist attack. Unique geographical conditions have been keeping the nation away from war flames, but have also left it extremely vulnerable, in terms of homeland security. The idea of "missile defense" has constantly been in mind in the US ever since missile technology made direct strikes on target areas possible.

Second, "technology at the top". In the development of the US as a nation, the mentality that "technology is overriding" has been a strong social ideal. Missile defense is an example of a "bullet hits bullet" high-tech system developed in accordance with this ideal. Technically, missile defense has proven quite effective in experiments, but whether or not it is truly functional in actual warfare remains in question. In war, "shield" and "spear" technologies have evolved in turn, but the latter usually bears lower costs. The function of the NMD system depends on effective coordination of a series of systems including early warning, command and interception; the development of which will inevitably lead to a space arms race.

Third, "global dominance". After World War II, the mainstream mentality in the US was "to dominate the world"; however, it was not carried out smoothly. This ambition shrank after the Vietnam War; yet began to grow again after the Cold War. The global deployment of the NMD system is also driven by the mentality of striving to be the "alliance chief". An alliance always has targets, and the NMD system targets "aliens"; Russia being the first. However, throughout US history, allies and enemies switch roles, as many of today's US enemy target such as Noriega, Hussein and Bin Laden were once recipients of US support. The global NMD deployment, in consideration of temporary interests, might result in a "wrong distribution of resources".

History has told us the advancement of weapons technology can only escalate a war rather than eliminate it. In the era of missiles and nuclear weapons, war begins to threaten the existence of the entire global community; and therefore, can only be avoided by relying on the reason and cooperation of all human beings. In such an era, it is better to reduce spears rather than increase shields; better to stop a war than prepare for it; and better to seek collective security than to seek individual security.

By People's Daily Online