Strategic Weapons: April 20, 2001

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President Bush's budget plans include a $2.6 billion investment in new missile defense technologies beyond the 100-interceptors plan started by President Clinton. Defense Research and Development will get an extra $20 billion during 2002 through 2006, about 20% of which will go for "leap ahead" technologies. According to Rumsfeld, some 23% of the defense infrastructure is not needed, meaning a huge new round of base closures that will find no friends in Congress.--Stephen V Cole