Rockets' Red Glare: Missile Defenses and the Future of World Politics

President George W. Bush called on Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfield to make sure that that the missile defense receives the priority we think it must,” sharpening the debate over the most critical issue in American foreign policy. The Rockets' Red Glare: Missile Defenses and the Future of World Politics is an unique, informative and authoritative examination of the issues at the core of the debate. Leading experts provide the historical background to today's debate, analyze the options, examine the domestic and global contexts, and explore the potential international reactions to an American deployment of missile defenses. With nuance and balance, the authors suggest that in a deeply connected international system, any American decision will likely have cascading and unintended repercussions, some increasing and others decreasing American security and influence. As the debate on missile defenses intensifies, this book will provide a sound foundation for a fair assessment of arguments from both sides.