Jeff Bell, Republican candidate for New Jersey senator, said in a campaign email that the downed Malaysian jet is a "chilling reminder" that U.S. missile defense is crucial.
A Malaysian commercial plane was shot down yesterday near the Ukraine-Russia border. The crash killed all 295 passengers. Russian separatists are believed to be behind the plane downing.
Yesterday was a chilling reminder about the threats that the world faces from land-based missiles used by terrorists or rogue states. We must be ready to preempt these real threats to our nation’s security. As an unabashed Reagan conservative, I believe the American people are short-changed when the government pinches pennies on essential missile defense systems designed to ensure their security.
Bell went on to say that systems such as the Aegis Combat System and Army Navy/Transportable Radar Surveillance must be fully funded to protect the United States. The Aegis Combat System uses advanced technology to track and guide weapons to destroy enemy targets. The Army Navy/Transportable Radar Surveillance is a defense system that detects and tracks ballistic missiles in the descent phase of flight.
In a world where an increasingly belligerent Russia is testing new missile technologies, North Korea boasts ever-improving nuclear capabilities, and Iran remains committed to obtaining nuclear weapons, it should be the first move of the next President of the United States to bolster our nation’s missile defense.
Bell is running for Senate against incumbent Cory Booker (D.).