The role of Alaskan missile defense in environmental security

Abstract

In 2002, the United States abandoned the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty and began constructing a missile defense system in Alaska. Questions about how missile defense will contribute to U.S. security remain. Moreover, beliefs about what constitutes security are expanding to include considerations of global environmental stability. According to environmental security theories on arms control, non-proliferation, and environmental degradation, deploying missile defense may make the U.S. and the world less secure. This analysis addresses the issue by exploring the military's role in Alaska and resulting environmental damage, followed by a history of missile defense systems and a description ofthe Alaskan project's components. Arguments for and against missile defense are explained, and the history of Kodiak Island's rocket launch facility illustrates how these issues are evolving in Alaska. The conclusion discusses why pursuing the system is seen by many as a risky policy choice in both traditional and environmental security contexts.