Word: shields
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Back on the home front, Bush’s approval ratings are still astronomically high. But poll numbers do not give him license to pursue some of his poorly-conceived campaign promises, such as drilling in the Arctic or building a missile defense shield. Before Sept. 11, the American people were far from satisfied with Bush and his priorities. His popularity has drastically changed over the last two months, but there has been no indication that the argument for a missile defense has dramatically improved. Americans appreciate Bush’s firm leadership abroad, and he has the opportunity...
...Withdrawing from the treaty also means the administration is free to pursue the construction of a missile defense shield, one of its long-term goals and expressly prohibited by the ABM treaty. The shield, which could cost upwards of $80 billion, is not, Bush maintains, meant to in any way threaten Russia or any other "big power," but is rather meant to deter missile attacks from rogue nations - a possibility the administration considers more likely in the post-9/11 world...
...While its leaders offer a relatively imperturbable response to the U.S. withdrawal, there are plenty of reasons for Russia to vigorously oppose the decision: Technological and economic shortfalls mean the Russians cannot build their own missile defense shield, leaving the country without recourse once the U.S. withdrawal is complete. Both the U.S. and Russia currently have about 6,000 long-range ballistic missiles fitted with nuclear warheads - and the Russian stockpile would be virtually meaningless once a shield was in place. This is assuming the shield works, of course, and that?s far from a foregone conclusion; the project...
...There?s opposition to the U.S. decision beyond Russia. Some of it is primarily philosophical: The French were caught off guard and left displeased by the U.S. decision, and the Germans also expressed some concern. Other fears were more concrete: Chinese leaders worry a missile defense shield will essentially negate their entire (minimal) nuclear arsenal - sparking fears of a new arms race in Asia. Many congressional Democrats echo those concerns. "Unilateral withdrawal will likely lead to an action-reaction cycle," Sen. Carl Levin told the Associated Press. "?And that kind of arms race would not make us more secure...
...There?s a chance, of course, says Magarian, that the government will use this new power judiciously, no one?s rights will be threatened and opposition will be virtually non-existent. After all, religion, Magarian says, echoing Ashcroft?s own statements, cannot be a special kind of shield against legitimate criminal investigations. "If you run a religious organization and the government has true probable cause to believe your group is helping terrorists, you shouldn?t be able to hold up religion to keep the government inquiry...