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Great posts jb2000.
MAD worked all throughout the Cold War. It keeps countries honest in their dealings.
Even the craziest dictators of countries with ICBMs know this - America could create a ring of fire around the world if it wanted to. And no dictator wants to rule over the world's largest parking lot. No one. Dictators want power over people, and if there is no people, what good is he?
A nuclear warhead on a ship in a port like New York could easily kill millions and the anti-missile defense would be completely useless. Spend the money on intelligence, the military, and border defense, not on a system that is not proven or possibly unreliable.
And yes, China and even Russia have changed their minds given our sudden appreciation for a new missile defense system. If China does choose to expand its nuclear arsenal and employ MIRVs, simply flooding past the missile defense system would be possible.
Currently the U.S. has 18 SSBN-726 Ohio-class Nuclear Submarines. Each of these can carry 16-24 ballistic missiles (Trident II IIRC) and each of these has 5 or 6 MIRV warheads.
If they were all launched at a country, thats 18 x 24 x 5 or so - a TON (2160) warheads into a country. Unless that missile defense is pretty damn incredible and can destroy 2000 or so, it won't matter - a few get through, and millions die.
Luckily, the U.S. doesn't face such a possibility right now. And the fact is, touting a missile defense system will tell other countries to start making similar missiles with MIRVs. Send more up and just (in the great term of games).. Zerg the defense.
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