Rockets' Red Glare: Missile Defenses and the Future of World Politics

by James J. Wirtz

President George W. Bush called on Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfield “to make sure that that the missile defense receives the priority we think it must,” sharpening the debate over the most critical issue in American foreign policy. The Rockets' Red Missile Defenses and the Future of World Politics is an unique, informative and authoritative examination of the issues at the core of the debate. Leading experts provide the historical background to today's debate, analyze the options, examine the domestic and global contexts, and explore the potential international reactions to an American deployment of missile defenses. With nuance and balance, the authors suggest that in a deeply connected international system, any American decision will likely have cascading and unintended repercussions, some increasing and others decreasing American security and influence. As the debate on missile defenses intensifies, this book will provide a sound foundation for a fair assessment of arguments from both sides.

368 pages, Hardcover

First published September 14, 2001

About the author

Dr. James J. Wirtz is Dean of the School of International Graduate Studies at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, USA.

James J. Wirtz joined NPS in 1990 as a professor for the department of National Security Affairs. He has taught courses on nuclear strategy, international relations theory, and intelligence while at NPS. He served as Chair of the National Security Affairs from January 2000 and January 2005. He currently serves as Dean of the School of International Graduate Studies. Professor Wirtz is also a renowned author, and is presently working on a monograph entitled Theory of Surprise. He is also editor of the Palgrave Macmillan series, Initiatives in Strategic Studies: Issues and Policies.

Professor Wirtz is a past president of the International Security and Arms Control Section of the American Political Science Association and the former section chair of the Intelligence Studies Section of the International Studies Association. In 2005, he was a visiting professor at the Center for International Security and Cooperation, Stanford University. He began his teaching career at Franklin & Marshall College, Penn State University and the State University of New York, Binghamton.

A native of New Jersey, Professor Wirtz earned his degrees in Political Science from Columbia University (MPhil 1987, PhD 1989), and the University of Delaware (MA 1983, BA 1980). In 1985-86 he was a John M. Olin Pre-Doctoral Fellow at the Center for International Affairs, Harvard University.