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Bush Mulls Ballistic Missile Defense

By Staff Writer | October 30, 2006

      President Bush met with top aides and outside experts to consider the Asian military situation, including the U.S. ballistic missile defense effort.

      Among those in the meeting was Riki Ellison, president of the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance (MDAA).

      Aside from Bush and Ellison, the meeting included Vice President Dick Cheney, National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley, White House Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten, and Special Advisor Karl Rove.

      The meeting also included seven other outside experts such as professors and think tank staffers specialized in the Far East.

      “MDAA represented the issue of missile defense strongly and interacted directly with the President several times throughout this meeting,” Ellison reported, without providing any further details of the confidential session in the Roosevelt Room.

      The meeting came after North Korea in July launched several missiles, and more recently announced that it tested a nuclear bomb underground. Those moves have some U.S. military leaders saying the United States faces a growing threat from long-range missiles and nukes, a danger that must be countered with a U.S. ballistic missile shield. (Please see story on page 1.)

      Also, China, which has said it will invade Taiwan unless it submits to rule by Beijing, is wielding about 800 radar-guided missiles aimed toward Taiwan.