Didn't hear about the successful test over the Pacific last Thursday

As usual, the MSM failed to report another successful test of the missile defense system. Had it been a failure, you could have bet the ranch it would have been front page news. So there is no media bias, huh? - Sailor

Monday, February 28, 2005

While We Have Time
Investors Business Daily

Missile Defense: Didn't hear about the successful test over the Pacific last Thursday? Why not? China's Xinhua News Agency covered it.

But not NBC, ABC or CBS. At least, not that we could see. The New York Times had a wire story on its Web site, but not in its print edition. The Washington Post, along with the Chicago Tribune and several other big metro dailies, had neither.

Is a successful test of our missile defense now so common that the media give it post-lunar-landing treatment? After all, Thursday's knockout was the fifth successful interception in six tries.

No, it's simply another example of media bias. ABC and CBS made it a point to report the failure of a Feb. 14 test. So did the Christian Science Monitor. The Post devoted space on Page A4 for a staff-written story detailing the Valentine's Day flop.

Of course, a decision by Canada last week to opt out of the U.S. missile defense system got big play. And why not? It provided the ideal chance for a press opposed to a missile defense to imply Canada's decision indicates there's something inherently wrong with trying to protect ourselves from ICBMs.

Why any American would oppose a missile shield is beyond us. Yes, we know the excuses: It won't work ("can't hit a bullet with a bullet"), or it'll cost too much (a real "budget buster"), or other countries will counter a missile defense by increasing their nuclear weapon stockpiles (the old proliferation-stability argument).

But none persuades. Tests show a missile shield will work, and at a cost we can afford. Nor is there any evidence that other nations will boost their nuclear arsenals in response.

What is persuasive is the progress that rogue nations such as North Korea and Iran are making in the development of nuclear arms. Neither has the ability to hit the U.S. mainland now, but in time they will, unless they are stopped.

The smart policy is to perfect a missile shield while those nuclear programs are still in the development stage. For now, we have the time. One day, we won't.