Realistic Missile Defense

Barack Obama's announcement today that the US would no longer be pursuing single-location ground based missile defense in Eastern Europe was a well though out and well articulated announcement. As has been the case for decades, ICBM "Star Wars" type defense is exciting in concept, but fails to ever match its potential.

To put it simply, the plan to stop long range missiles was not going to work, and replacing a costly and ineffective system with one of the best functioning missile defense systems makes sense. Obama's decision also overturns a strange decision of the previous administration to actively antagonize Russia and local citizens by insisting on installing missile defense systems in former USSR states.

Another way of saying it:

Poking Russia and Iran in the eye isn’t worth the hassle.

McCahill

Instead, how about a US foreign policy balance practical and useful military technology with diplomacy. Wouldn't it be best if the US made use of its vastly superior resources and technology to provide safe and realistic missile defense?