Barack Obama has rightly embraced ballistic missile defense (BMD) as an important component of U.S. national security policy in an era where the requirements of nuclear deterrence are fluid and nuanced. Moreover, the deployment of these defenses may even provide several important benefits to the President’s much-publicized nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament agenda. However, if the President’s commitment to these goals is to remain credible and viable, then the importance of BMD against rogue states must be balanced with the need to avoid jeopardizing relations with key strategic competitors. As such, the President may have to limit U.S. BMD plans in the near future.
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