“We need to innovate. We need to do it — do it together for the future because that’s the way to make sure that we have the finest fighting force in the world tomorrow, 10 years from now, 20 years from now, 30 years from now . . .” ~ Defense Secretary Ashton Carter speaking to technology leaders in Seattle, March 3, 2016 Read Full Story
“It must be remembered that there is nothing more difficult to plan, more difficult of success, nor more dangerous to manage, than the creation of a new system. For the initiator has the enmity of all who would profit by the preservation of the old institutions and merely lukewarm defenders in those who would gain by the new ones.” Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli in The Prince, 1513. Read Full Story
America’s current missile defense strategy is “not sustainable,” according to Missile Defense Agency (MDA) Deputy Director USAF Brig. Gen. Kenneth Todorov. As reported by Sydney J. Freedberg in June 18’s Breaking Defense, he correctly emphasized that we can’t keep buying multi-million-dollar interceptors to shoot down adversaries’ ever-growing arsenals of much cheaper offensive missiles; we have to find a better way involving fewer Ground-Based Interceptors (GBIs) and more investment in R&D. Read Full Story
“. . . Years ago, before the East Germans began rebuilding their churches, they erected a secular structure: the television tower at Alexander Platz. Virtually ever since, the authorities have been working to correct what they view as the tower’s one major flaw, treating the glass sphere at the top with paints and chemicals of every kind. Yet even today when the sun strikes that sphere–that sphere that towers over all Berlin—the light makes the sign of the cross. There in Berlin, like the city itself, symbols of love, symbols of worship, cannot be suppressed. . .” ~ President Ronald Reagan at the Brandenburg Gate, June 12, 1987 Read Full Story
To counter increasingly recognized threats, we should return to President Ronald Reagan’s vision in his March 23, 1983 speech that launched the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI). The “powers that be” should revive technology programs aimed at developing space-based defenses, the most cost-effective way to defend against a full gamut of ballistic missile threats, including those that pose an existential electromagnetic pulse (EMP) threat. Read Full Story
“”Our loyal, brave people… should know the truth. They should know that there has been a gross neglect and deficiency in our defenses; they should know that we have sustained a defeat without a war, the consequences of which will travel far with us along our road… and do not suppose that this is the end. This is only the beginning of the reckoning. This is only the first sip, the first foretaste of the bitter cup which will be proffered to us year by year, unless by a supreme recovery of moral health and martial vigour, we arise again and take our stand for freedom as in olden time.” ~Winston Churchill, in protest against the Munich settlement, 1938 Read Full Story
Next week, we celebrate Ronald Reagan’s March 23, 1983 address that launched his Strategic Defense Initiative. Thanks to SDI and those who’ve braved ridicule to stand with President Reagan, Defense Secretary Hagel could say last Friday that we have an “iron-clad” commitment to missile defense, including for our overseas troops, friends and allies. “How sweet it is!” More to come . . . Read Full Story
High Frontier participated in the January 12-13 Tea Party Coalition Convention at the Springfield Beach Resort in Myrtle Beach, SC. In particular, Amb. Cooper discussed the electromagnetic pulse (EMP) threat and what can be done to counter it, as has been described in our previous three email reports. Many of the several hundred attendees indicated… Read Full Story
We will be adding key policy briefs as we progress.