And then there s the question of whether it would work at any price. We re going to be less rather than more secure. Defense analysts say while a missile shield may protect against launches from countries like North Korea, Iraq and Iran, it does nothing to address the more urgent threat of, say, a terrorist ship sailing into New York Harbor with a nuclear bomb on board. CBS News National Security correspondent David Martin is tracking that part of the story. It would have killed one to three million people.
Many experts believe that is a much more likely threat than a missile.
Critics call it Star Wars and say it s outrageously an expensive folly. President Bush began a major new push today for a new version of his big tax cut plan. It would cost a about quarter trillion dollars less than his original proposal. This compromise plan is now circulating on Capitol Hill and has Republican and Democratic support, but there are many unresolved issues. ABC s Linda Douglass told Peter Jennings a spending deal has yet to be worked out.