You might remember how strongly liberal Democrats used to criticize President Ronald Reagan for his plans for a missile defense shield that would be able to pick off nuclear missiles fired from hostile nations. Such a system was denounced as “Star Wars.”
Well, more than two decades later, many prominent Democrats seem to acknowledge not only that missile defense is possible but that it is a sensible and justified military expenditure.
We spotted this headline recently: “Obama says NATO agrees to missile defense system.”
The Associated Press article below that headline began, “President Barack Obama won NATO summit agreement Friday to build a missile shield over Europe … .” It added that the president was “celebrating” NATO’s decision in favor of missile defense.
He enthusiastically declared, “[Missile defense] responds to the threats of our times. It shows our determination to protect our citizens from the threat of ballistic missiles.”
How far we have come since the time when the president’s party routinely dismissed missile defense as “Star Wars.”