Good grief. DUDE, I worked for the Army on C³I, including on-site support at some of the first Cascade Peak exercises. Believe me, I know very well the advantages well-spent technological research can confer. I also know some of the guys who were consulting on SDI. You are aware, of course, that the program did run for nearly 10 years, got funded to the tune of $44B +, and resulted in plenty of useful technology, including the core of our GMD systems (PAC-3). I wasn't disputing any of that. But as for the idea that throwing more $$ at X-ray lasers in the '80's would have resulted in us having an impregnable space-based shield today to protect us from the mighty NK menace -- well, let's just say I'm more confident that a fleet of nuclear-powered monkeys will fly out of my butt and save us in that eventuality.