Strategic Threats and National Missile Defenses : Defending the U. S. Homeland

Rogue nations such as Iran and North Korea may be able to build weapons of mass destruction in as little as five years. Proliferation poses a broad range of threats to the United States, our allies, and our coalition partners. The potential of intercontinental missiles--armed with nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons--is a serious danger to the American homeland. Cordesman argues that an effective defense against these threats will require linking a national missile defense program to an ambitious counterproliferation strategy, a strengthened homeland defense program, and a realistic approach to arms control and national security options.