That will satisfy one of the key criteria for proceeding with a national missile defense system designed to shoot down small numbers of warheads heading toward the United States, a decision President Clinton vows to make by summer. But few at the White House will be cheering. A successful test would also bolster Republicans who back a more aggressive missile defense shield. Politics probably won't allow that luxury. Under Republican pressure, Clinton and Gore have already adopted a bolder missile defense program than they backed just two years ago.
Republicans continue to use the issue to set themselves apart.
The Clinton administration has been discussing treaty changes with Russia for a year, but Gore has hedged on whether he would be willing to scrap the treaty. If the Russians take a hard line, they could, among other things, pull out of nuclear arms control treaties. Other countries have dug their heels in even deeper. Even if this week's test succeeds, many technological hurdles remain, and most experts think the Clinton plan to field a starter system by 2005 is a heady goal. That's what scares me about this schedule.