Think of the threats, though... (Score 1)

Except for the rare case of true revisionist states like Iraq (where Saddam has actually been spending money on arms research like a good classical man with eyes on the prize), most of the foes we're worried about probably won't use missiles. Unless they get full support and contracting from people that know how to fully use them (like buying a Russian sub with merc crew)... but that's very expensive.

I think that the terrorists would probably use an attack more like the one shown on Peacemaker... just pull out the core and firing mechanism and toss it in a backpack. Then hand it to some young kid with eyes of fire and ears full of the Torah, Qaran, Bible or whatever the particular zealotry of the day is. It's much cheaper to use a matyr as delivery system than bother with the full machinery of a true nuclear power.

The terrorists are the biggest threats in this realm though... the rest of the world is too busy either trying to get a piece of our action or deflate our power in less dramatic ways.

However, we did talk about an interesting motive for Rummsfield in our poli sci class... Bascially the Chinese (and North Koreans (?) - we don't know for sure) have just few enough missiles for our defense system to work... But the best offense is a good defense, you know. If China, N. Korea and other "rogue states" to be can be thwarted by our defense, then they don't get to participate in the MAD scenario. And if they aren't a part of MAD... then we maintain a LOT of power in the world.