Publisher Fact Sheet The much politicized debate over building a national missile defense system has underscored the need for independent analysis about its probable value & effectiveness. Written for a general audience, Defending America explores the contending arguments surrounding national missile defense. The book assesses the current & likely future missile threat to the United States, examines relevant technologies, & suggests how America's friends & foes would react to a decision to develop a national missile defense.

Annotation Lindsay and O'Hanlon (both foreign policy studies, the Brookings Institution) consider the potential benefits and dangers of implementing a national missile defense (NMD) system. They contend that a limited, small-scale NMD could effectively defend the United States against attacks from relatively unsophisticated foes. As the implementation of an NMD would violate the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, they caution that the United States should only proceed after negotiations with Russia and China. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com).

Annotation Arms control and missile defense are once again at the forefront of the American national security agenda. Not surprisingly, the debate has broken down along well-worn lines. Arms control advocates dismiss the idea of missile defense as a dangerous and costly folly. Missile defense advocates argue that the U.S. should move aggressively to defend itself against missile attack. With clear and lively prose free of partisan rhetoric, Defending America provides reliable, factual analysis of the missile defense debate. Written for a general audience, it assesses the current and likely future missile threat to the United States, examines relevant technologies, and suggests how America's friends and foes would react to a decision to build a national missile defense. Lindsay and O'Hanlon reject calls for large-scale systems as well as proposals to do nothing, instead arguing for a limited national missile defense.