Defense Spending

Re “Big Risk in Cutting Troops,” Editorial, Oct. 16: In an otherwise fairly reasoned editorial you closed by saying that the missile defense system is “a boondoggle that hasn’t defended anything despite tens of billions in research.” Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m really happy it hasn’t defended anything; that means nothing has been launched at us. And I hope to God it stays that way, perhaps with the help of just such a system. Your logic is much like saying that my home alarm system is a boondoggle because it hasn’t protected me from burglars, in spite of the fact that no one has tried to burglarize my home. Maybe I should just do away with it to save the monthly fee.

Steve Switzer

Redondo Beach