Pentagon ignores presidential transition and presses ahead with 'missile defense' testing

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The Pentagon is set to conduct the 13th and most realistic test of its missile shield system to date, officials told CNN.

The first "window," or opportunity, for the test opens at 3 p.m. ET Friday and runs through Tuesday.

Although the anti-missile system can work in any weather, the Missile Defense Agency needs a clear sky to monitor the $115 million test.

The test, which has been delayed several times, comes at a critical time for the $100 billion system, as President-elect Barack Obama is about to take office.

Early in his campaign, Obama pledged to "cut investments in unproven missile defense systems." But later he said he would support missile defense systems if they work.

"The biggest threat to the United States is a terrorist getting their hands on nuclear weapons," Obama said in the September 26 presidential debate. "And we ... are spending billions of dollars on missile defense. And I actually believe that we need missile defense, because of Iran and North Korea and the potential for them to obtain or to launch nuclear weapons."

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/US/12/04/us.missile.test /


. . . by the way, we shouldn't be harangued into silence over these tests or dissuaded from discussion (chided because he hasn't been sworn in yet) over how Pres. Obama might deal with Bush missile defense initiatives and actions, or, discussing his past objections and his recent statements in support of a 'working' missile defense regime.