Full Description
This volume reviews the debates surrounding the anti-ballistic missile (ABM) defense systems and their deployment by George W. Bush, allowing readers to assess for themselves the significance of Bush's decisions.
The Missile Defense Systems of George W. Bush: A Critical Assessment asks and answers a number of pressing questions about Bush's decision to deploy ground-based missiles. Has the system become reliable? If not, what are the prospects for it to become effective? What have the fiscal costs been? What was the political impact of efforts to expand ABM systems to Europe?
This is the only major book that brings together all of the factors—historical and current—to allow readers to assess President Bush's decisions for themselves. Opening with an extensive history of missile defense, the book analyzes Bush's efforts to establish ground-based missiles in Eastern Europe, as well as the impact of his decisions. Both the administration's policies and evaluations and those of critical observers are presented. President Obama's program for missile defense is reviewed as well. A final chapter evaluates the technical progress of the various ABM systems and weighs the political dimensions of the deployment decision and the cost of the undertaking to date.
Contents
Preface
Abbreviations
Introduction
1 Missile Defense to ABM Diplomacy: From Eisenhower to Nixon
2 The Strategic Defense Initiative: From Reagan to G.H.W. Bush
3 Politics of Missile Defense Deployment: From William Clinton to George W. Bush
4 Missile Defense in Europe: Bush to Obama
5 North Korean and Iranian Missile Programs: Their Regional Impact
6 The Status of Missile Defense Systems
7 The Obama Administration and Missile Defense
Reflections
Notes
Selected References
Index
