Gates Shoots Down Missile Defense Budget Cut Criticism

Another broadside launched against Defense Secretary Bob Gates’ budget is that it unduly cuts missile defense. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) brought that up to Gates today during a Senate Arms Services Committee hearing on the defense budget and walked into a buzzsaw. At great length, Gates patiently replied that the majority of the cuts come to the least-proven aspect of missile defense, the attempt to stop a missile in its “boost phase” when it takes off, and instead reorients strategy to protecting against missile threats from rogue states. And Sessions backed down! “I’d say you were ready for that question,” he said, to laughter.