From Star Wars to Golden Domes — Both Reagan and Trump Are Protecting America

President Trump is expected to announce today a huge missile defense shield called the “Golden Dome.”The project was first announced in January and aims to create a network of satellites to detect, track, and intercept incoming missiles.The shield may consist of hundreds of satellites for missile detection and tracking.It’s not going to come cheap, and part of the funding is likely to be in the reconciliation bill.When finally implemented, though, it will afford all Americans a tremendous new source of security in the event of worst case scenarios with North Korea, or Russia, or Iran should ever happen.Israel employs a land-based Iron Dome defense shield that protects it from missiles and rockets.Mr. Trump’s “Golden Dome” is much more extensive — with its surveillance satellites and its fleet of attacking satellites that would presumably shoot down missiles soon after they lift off.Forty-three years ago, President Reagan proposed the Strategic Defense Initiative.That was a space-based missile defense system intended to protect America from nuclear attack.People mocked the Gipper by nicknaming SDI “Star Wars,” but, as usual, Reagan was way ahead of his time.As part of his successful quest to destroy Soviet communism, he always had a dream that each side would give up their nuclear missiles. Just in case, though, he began working on SDI.When Reagan negotiated with Gorbachev in 1985 and 1986 to reduce nuclear weapons, it was Gorbachev who always wanted Reagan to drop SDI.But the Gipper steadfastly refused. And he bluntly told Gorbachev that the United States had the economic strength and resources to build a missile defense system — but Russia did not.Eventually, as the Soviet Union plunged deeper into the economic abyss, it became clear to Gorbachev that he had better try to make some deals with Reagan on nuclear disarming.Of course, Reagan did everything he could to sabotage the Soviet economy, including preventing an oil and gas pipeline into Europe.Yet communism is a system that ultimately destroyed itself.State-controlled socialism always fails. Russian citizens yearned for the freedoms of speech and worship. And godless communism eventually fell into the dustbin of history.Reagan knew exactly what he was doing 43 years ago.And Mr. Trump deserves enormous credit for taking that idea and updating it, extending it, and expanding it. A clear message to our enemies, just as the Gipper sent long ago.From Mr. Kudlow’s broadcast on Fox Business Network.

From Star Wars to Golden Domes — Both Reagan and Trump Are Protecting America

From Star Wars to Golden Domes — Both Reagan and Trump Are Protecting America

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