National Missile Defense

International security has come to a crossroad. No longer is the world made up of a bipolar system divided between the United States and the Soviet Union. Instead the international security system consists of a multi-polar environment with only one superpower--the United States. With this change to the international system, a time has come for the United States to examine its role and policies with relation to international security. In addition to changes in the international environment, major technological changes have altered the capabilities and roles of defense systems. It is possible that we now have the capability in a national missile defense program to field a defensive system capable of protecting nations from weapons of mass destruction. This paper examines the geo-political impacts of fielding the national missile defense system to include the impacts on U.S. relations with other nations and the impact on arms control treaties. In addition, it examines the relationship between missile defense, deterrence, and diplomacy and recommends a map for future U.S. security policy.