Or maybe we just got unlucky.

Here are what some experts say:

http://www.essaysample.com/essay/003288.html
Okay, it's a sample college essay. But the main source estimates that an accidental launch might happen once every 20,000 years.

http://www.nipp.org/5.php
An analysis. Go to the "accidental launch" section for a detailed explanation of why an accidental launch is highly unlikely.

There's always more to be done, but the fact is that the sort of accidental launch that our missile defense system might be able to stop even if fully operational and 100% effective is highly unlikely to occur.

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Man up.

$7 trillion on an alien defense system. After all, the alternatives are far worse. I saw War of the Worlds. Trust me. We need it. Sure the odds are very slim. So what? Sure, hundreds of millions of lives could be saved spending the money sanely. But so what? If the aliens come we are ALL dead. Long shot? Sure. But the alternative is worse. Now I know no aliens are threatening now. And they have never attacked us before. But what if the did? I say we raise taxes to 80% and build the system. Otherwise there's a 0.00001% chance we could be alien fish food.

Signed,

Deep Paranoia.

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I wasn't born with enough middle fingers.

really! That's funny. Actually all the early a bomb tests worked including the trinity test.

"The Project culminated in the design, production, and detonation of three nuclear weapons in 1945. The first was on July 16: "Trinity", the world's first nuclear test, near Alamogordo, New Mexico. The second was the weapon "Little Boy", detonated on August 6, over the city of Hiroshima, Japan. The third was the weapon "Fat Man", detonated on August 9, over the city of Nagasaki, Japan."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhattan_project

We have a working stealth fighter? We have the F-22. It's not in production yet though.

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Classic American liberal

Well if the system actually worked I would be all for it. But it don't work. And it's designed for a scenario that most likely would never occur. If we want to spend tens of billions of dollars just to create a counter measure to north Korea then why don't we pay to move the capital of South Korea further south and invade and take North Korea.

The Necons game plan will cause self destruction of the Republican parties stranglehold on America soon enough.

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Classic American liberal

I am only amazed at how each and every bit of negative news is celebrated by those in the demo party! It really amazes me! Demos search long and hard to find something negative about America to post. And when they find something, it is posted with glee and joy! Oh boy! Something negative about the US is certain to be good news!

This is what losers do. And demos have grown very accustomed to losing.

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"Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival."
Winston Churchill

Found this via a casual google search:

It is no secret that close calls (accidental launches) have occurred in the past. You are willing to just cross your fingers and hope for the best?

An accidental launch doesnt necessarily mean someone bumps a switch. It means that the defense system of one or both nations believes that an attack is occuring.

How so? Can you prove aliens exist?

By contrast, we KNOW nukes exist, and we KNOW that close calls can happen. Your analogy is inaccurate.

Can you prove they arent zero?

What alternative is that?

It went into production early this year actually - http://www.af.mil/mediacenter/pressr...prID=123006677 -

You are apparently willing to roll the dice and hope for the best. I am not.

The system will work eventually. That is why China is sweating about it. The hard part is done. We can hit a missile with a missile.

It is not just a counter to NK. As I explained before, it is also a defense against accidental launches from existing nuclear powers.

Missile attack is the only form of attack we are 100% vulnerable to.

Sorry guy a tillion dollars is spent to shot down a missile that has a tracking device on a good day is bad way to spend your money. China would never attack us with a missile it would use other mean like economical, I mean most of our products and job are being sent over there. China is not stupid, it would use more intelligent means. I'm getting that many of you never lived in bad neigborhood. I would rather spend my money combating the growing gang problem that consume our youth that could be come the next Malcom X or Wayne Dryer. I guess cutting social programs that help a lot of fatherless kids is worse than shooting a dummy missile on a sunny a perfect day.

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In the land of the blind, the man with one eye is the king
- Nas

Right on man!

The battle that is being waged today is a battle of economics with a side show of terrorism and unconventional warfare.

Trying to recreate Americas armed forces to have been able to win the war in Vietnam is a total waist of time!

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Classic American liberal

When the Neocons lose control of the US post a message. That will be a day to break out the Johnny walker black label!

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Classic American liberal

It is all really simple. Is it worth $1 trillion we don't have to build a system that may never work to protect us from something with a miniscule (at best) chance of ever happening? I may be crazy, but that in no way passes the cost/benefit test. As econ dude I will simply say they are nuts. Completely nuts. But then again, it's not their money. If we knew it would work and it cost far less, maybe. But the equation is way too far off. It's not even close.

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I wasn't born with enough middle fingers.