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They actually said this (and they meant it too)

A group of Senators once got together and sent a letter to the President. Here is the text of that letter.

"Dear Mr. President:

Up to now, you have set this summer as the deadline for announcing a decision on the deployment of a National Missile Defense (NMD) system. We are writing to urge you to delay such a decision and not to take any steps toward deployment at this time.

Last weekend's test failure demonstrates that it is too early to know whether deploying a cost-effective NMD system will be possible in the near future and whether it will provide real protection against the potential threat from emerging nuclear powers.

As you know, there is growing scepticism within the scientific community about the technical feasibility of the proposed system. A recent study by the Union of Concerned Scientists and MIT has raised serious questions about whether it would be effective against even the fairly simple countermeasures that adversaries would be capable of developing. Furthermore, a group of 50 Nobel Laureates and the American Physical Society, which represents 42,000 physicists, have recently issued statements critical of making a deployment decision before the system is adequately tested against realistic countermeasures.

We fear that a decision to deploy would imperil, not improve, our national security. Both Russia and China have said they will respond with a new buildup of their own nuclear forces. Furthermore, our allies have expressed grave concern about the impact deployment would have on international strategic stability.

Mr. President, the most effective way to reduce the threat of nuclear weapons is by continuing our arms reduction agreements and by working aggressively to stop the spread of nuclear weapons and missile technology. We hope you will continue your efforts to preserve the ABM treaty and resist pressure to deploy a national missile defense system at this time.

The letter was signed by the following Democratic senators:

Max Baucus (MT) Jeff Bingaman (NM) Barbara Boxer (CA)
Richard Bryan (NV) Robert Byrd (WV) Max Cleland (GA)
Tom Daschle (SD) Christopher Dodd (CT) Byron Dorgan (ND)
Richard Durbin (IL) Russell Feingold (WI) Dianne Feinstein (CA)
Tom Harkin (IA) Tim Johnson (SD) Edward Kennedy (MA)
Robert Kerrey (NE) John Kerry (MA) Frank Lautenberg (NJ)
Patrick Leahy (VT) Carl Levin (MI) Barbara Mikulski (MD)
Daniel Moynihan (NY) Patty Murray (WA) Jack Reed (RI)
Harry Reid (NV) Charles Robb (VA) Jay Rockefeller (WV)
Paul Sarbanes (MD) Charles Schumer (NY) Paul Wellstone (MN)
Ron Wyden (OR)

It is of note that Senator Joseph Lieberman (D-CT), Vice President Gore's choice as running mate, did not sign the letter, and in a July 25 hearing stated his hope that the president would "keep the program going forward."

The letter was sent to President Clinton on August 8th, 2000.

Knowing what has occured in history since that time, I can't believe anyone on this list can show their face in public, much less run for office (and win!). Gee, I wonder if the 'concerned scientists' ever sent a corresponding version of the letter to the Chinese?

Posted @ January 19, 2007 07:22 AM | Current Affairs