Paul Wolfowitz

Paul Wolfowitz was appointed deputy secretary of defense by President George W. Bush in 2001. Previously, Wolfowitz served in a variety of academic and diplomatic positions, including assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs under President Ronald Reagan. The following viewpoint is taken from testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee in July 2001. Wolfowitz argues that the United States needs to develop a system to defend against missile attacks such as those used by Iraq in the 1991 Persian Gulf War. He contends that North Korea is a leading example of a country that has developed missile programs that may be capable of striking the United States with nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. What scenario does Wolfowitz describe to open his arguments?
2. How much has...