Facts

Just about every year Congress debates during budget time how much to put into a national missile defense program - an absolute must for our national security according to some and a foolish waste of money according to others. A new wrinkle in the debate was added in '06 when the US started talking about extending missile defense to Eastern Europe, a prospect Russia didn't take to too happily.

What is national missile defense:

• National missile defense (NMD) is a broad term used to describe defense systems that protect America by intercepting missiles before they have a chance to land on us. Plans for creating a comprehensive NMD have been around since the 80's; they include different kinds of technologies from land, sea and space. Today, missile defense is mostly directed at protecting against missiles from North Korea, but the administration is starting to think about Iran as well.

What is being done today to build national missile defense

(GAO - pdf)

Facts

Americans once braced for nuclear war by hiding under desks, but even that thin sense of security doesn't get you far in today's world, where enemies transcend traditional boundaries and technology opens borders to a degree not even imaginable in the science fiction novels of the previous generation. (Scared yet?) Below is a brief outline of how much scary stuff is out there, how it would get delivered, and the treaties and organizations that aim to keep WMD in check.