And there's the impact on relations with Russia and China, both of which are strongly opposed to a U.S. national missile defense. That would buy an arsenal of 100 interceptors and pay for more testing and spare parts. If Clinton gives the go-ahead this summer, a missile defense could be ready to begin operating in five years, although some Pentagon officials closely involved in the program think that is too ambitious a timetable. The first test using the final, combat-ready interceptor is not scheduled until 2003. Although the missile used in the October test encountered some problems en route to its target, it scored a hit and prompted the Pentagon to assert it had demonstrated that a warhead carrying a nuclear or biological weapon can be destroyed and neutralized.
Critics are less certain.
They doubt the reliability of a national missile defense and fault the Pentagon for planning only three interceptor tests before recommending a deployment decision to Clinton this summer. Military Affairs Correspondent Jamie McIntyre and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Pages will open in a new browser window External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive. All Rights Reserved. Terms under which this service is provided to you.