US: US President Bush has given the go-ahead for the construction of an anti-missile system in Alaska by 2004, despite protests from around the world at the deployment of a new generation of missiles, and the failure of more than half the interceptor missile tests.
The US has asked Britain and Denmark for the use of upgraded radar systems in northern England and Greenland as part of the global missile defence shield. Both governments are considering the request.
The plan, known as "Star Wars Two", calls for 10 ground-based interceptor missiles to be deployed in silos in Alaska and an additional 10 interceptors by 2005 or 2006.
The go-ahead for the multi-billion dollar defence system was given despite the failure of three of eight tests of the interceptor missiles, the latest seven days ago when a rocket did not separate from its booster to destroy a Minuteman II intercontinental ballistic missile.
Star Wars defence systems were banned under the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty with Moscow, but in December 2001 Mr Bush gave Russia six-months notice that America was withdrawing unilaterally. In June the Pentagon began constructing the first six underground silos for missile interceptors at Fort Greely in southern Alaska, according to the Washington Times, which broke the story yesterday.
Such construction had been banned under the treaty and it marks the first time since the 1960s that the US government will field an anti-missile system. Mr Bush cited the September 11th, 2001, terrorist attacks to justify an anti-missile shield, using land- and sea-based interceptors and sensors on earth and in space against "unprecedented threats".
"When I came to office, I made a commitment to transform America's national security strategy and defence capabilities to meet the threats of the 21st century," Mr Bush said. The initial stages of the system "will add to America's security and serve as a starting-point for improved and expanded capabilities later as further progress is made in researching and developing missile defence technologies and in light of changes in the threat", he said.
The US withdrawal from the ABM treaty was criticised by many US allies concerned that work on a missile defence shield that depended on intercepting an incoming missile with another missile could spark a new global arms race.
The initiative was criticised by Russia and China at a meeting earlier this month between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Jiang Zemin.
Asked to justify the deployment of a system after so many failed tests, US Defence Secretary Mr Donald Rumsfeld told reporters: "When you are at the leading edge of technology you expect that you are going to learn and gain knowledge by your successes and also by your failures."
With a majority in both Houses of Congress Mr Bush is almost certain to get the $1.5 billion needed over the next two years for the programme. The total cost is estimated at $7.8 billion.
However, Democrat appropriations spokesman in the House, Mr David Sirota, criticised the plan, asking if Mr Bush thought the US was "so flush with cash" for a system that might not work, "why has he repeatedly rejected funding for basic security like border patrol, coast guard and immigration?"