At the same time, he promised to reduce the nation's reliance on nuclear forces, suggesting that he would embark on a unilateral reduction. Outlining his argument for a missile defense system, he painted a need for a weapon of global reach, sweeping aside the deep skepticism of American allies in Europe, questions bordering on hostility from Russia, and fear in Beijing that China would be the primary target. This is an important opportunity for the world to rethink the unthinkable and to find new ways to keep the peace. The proposal faces opposition from crucial NATO allies, and drew questions from members of Congress uneasy about abrogating the ABM treaty before there is any assurance the weapon system will work. Deterrence can no longer be based solely on the threat of nuclear retaliation.
Defenses can strengthen deterrence by reducing the incentive for proliferation.
The treaty, the focus of great controversy when it was enacted in 1972, prohibited the Soviet Union and the United States from building weapons that would counter the threat posed by intercontinental ballistic missiles, capable of spanning half the globe in 30 minutes with a payload of nuclear warheads. Behind the treaty was the idea that if neither superpower could defend itself against the destruction of a nuclear weapon, it would be less likely to begin a nuclear war. This treaty ignores the fundamental breakthroughs and technology during the last 30 years. The skepticism of some of the United States' European allies was evident a month ago, when German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder was visiting Bush. The president said Tuesday he would dispatch high-level envoys to Europe and Asia to present his case in key capitals.