The countries in question include Iraq, Pakistan (under Islamic extremist), Iran, Saudi Arabia (under extremist), N. Korea of course. I could go on. They are poor by U.S. and E.U. standards but that has not prevented them from acquiring nuclear tech and it will not prevent them from acquiring ACBMs. If you learned that a nuclear device existed within the borders of poor Afganistan would it surprise you?

We are currently faced with spending up to 200 billion U.S. to address the current situation and it may go beyond that. Everyone agrees that prevention would have been cheaper. It is beyond comprehension that anyone would object to a system that might prevent a future nuclear exchange. Even appeasment is not a perfect diplomatic technique.

The recent events remind us that we do not know the future. The impossible can become possible and the unlikely can become probable. NMD is preparation for a future contingency.