Update Posted at 6/21//2012
Loop Missile Contest Winners!
And now. . . the winners in the Loop Contest to help the Pentagon figure out where to put the House-passed East Coast missile defense system — should the Senate also approve it.
There have been many excellent entries from around the country on where to put the interceptors to protect us from hypothetical missiles from Iran and North Korea — although the generals say they don’t really need the system.
Without further ado, the winners:
* “Locate one near Fenway Park to protect it from Iran, North Korea and the Yankees.” — John Modler, a retired federal employee and prior contest winner from Catonsville, Md. (After last weekend, Nationals Park also could use some protection from the Yankees.)
* “Accident, Md. and Pork Barrel Pond, Mass.” — Zachary M. Hosford, a think tank research associate at the Center for a New American Security.
* “How about building a base to protect the Smithfield, Va.,” the Ham Capital of the world. “Call it ‘pork’ for pork’s sake.” — Harry Meem, a retired copy editor for the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
* “The Jersey Shore to protect Snookie, the Hamptons to protect the banksters.” — Leslie Beil, a writer and hot-glass artist in Alexandria.
* FedEx Field in Landover and another battery near Redskins Park to protect the “strategic brain trust of the organization and the talented players.” — Wesley Davis, a retired fire captain from Prince Georges County now living in Conway, S.C.
* “How about Syria, Va.? That way, if the Iranians launch a missile at us, we can say we had the good people of Syria shoot it down for us.” — Doug Williamson, an international wildlife trade consultant and prior contest winner from, naturally, Syria, Va.
* “Capitol Hill — or at least around the House side,” so when the “non-existent” missiles are fired, “the interceptors that don’t work can protect” them. — Barry Blechman, who works at the Stimson Center, a foreign policy think tank.
The West Coast already has a system and is thus invulnerable to attack, so we asked for East Coast sites, but we’ll include this one.
* Cable TV viewers “know there is one place that is attacked over and over again by Iranians, Soviets, North Koreans and assorted aliens from outer space — Hollywood.” — James F. Schumaker, a retired foreign service officer and prior winner who, wouldn’t you know, lives about 30 miles away in San Clemente, Calif.
Congratulations to the winners, T-shirts headed your way, and thanks to all for entering.
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Update Posted at 12:42 PM ET, 05/18/2012
Missile-defense site: Where to put it? (A Loop contest!)
Washington Post – By Emily Heil
The Loop has gotten lots of entries in our contest to pick the site to locate a missile-defense system on the East Coast. From the Jersey Shore (to protect that national treasure, Snooki) to a goof-prone town called Accident, Md., (what could possibly go wrong there?), you’ve got plenty of ideas for where the big guns should go.
But we’re looking for more!
You have until May 25 to submit your suggestions for where the Pentagon should install the sites, which are meant to protect us from as-yet non-existent missiles from Iran and North Korea, and which the top military brass says we don’t really … well, you know … need.
But hey, the West Coast has some, and we want in. But where to put them? That’s up to you!
Alas, a few of you have even written in with suggestions for where missiles should be aimed, not where the anti-missile missiles should be located. We’ve chuckled over a few such entries — but they won’t earn you a place in the winner’s circle (and one of our coveted Loop T-shirts!).
You can leave your entry as a comment on the blog — you may want to double-check that there’s an active e-mail address associated with your washingtonpost.com log-in.
You can also e-mail us at intheloop@washpost.com. (Please make sure you include a home or cellphone so we can contact you.)
The top five winners will receive a coveted In the Loop T-shirt and the usual bragging rights when we announce winners. (If you need to enter “on background,” that’s fine.)
Happy missile-siting, folks.
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Posted at 01:18 PM ET, 05/16/2012
Missile Defense: Where to put the interceptors? (A Loop Contest)
Washington Post – By Al Kamen
North Korea’s long-range rocket launch last month was a bust. But they’ll keep trying. (The Associated Press) The House is scheduled this week to take up a bill that would require the Pentagon to start work on a missile defense system to protect the East Coast from Iranian or North Korean long-range nuclear missiles.
The bill would require the Defense Department to conduct an environmental impact statement by the end of next year with an operational site in place “not later than the end of 2015.”
Seems a bit speedy, but there’s a quick $100 million in the bill for surveys and planning and such.
Sure, the Iranians and North Koreans don’t have long-range missiles (yet) and the Iranians — best we can tell — don’t have any nukes.
And sure, the general in charge of the North American Aerospace Defense Command has said “today’s threats do not require an East Coast” site and the Joint Chiefs chairman said last week we don’t need it.
But what do they know? And remember the old Fleetwood Mac song “don’t stop thinking about tomorrow.”
There’s also coastal envy to consider. The West Coast already has two interceptor sites, one in Alaska with 27 missiles and another three in California.
Granted, they don’t have much of a track record knocking down missiles in tests — and the program has cost about $24 billion so far. (The administration has asked for about $1 billion this year for testing, maintenance and operations.)
But why should we spend all that money to protect Hollywood, for crying out loud? We want an interceptor site too!
The Congressional Budget Office on Tuesday estimated the cost for 20 interceptors would be only $3.6 billion from 2013 to 2017, including buying the missiles, getting the site ready and the facilities and so on. That’s a real bargain!
House Republicans may have the votes to pass the bill, though the Senate, as it did last year, will probably neuter it.
Maybe the Senate doesn’t like it because there’s no protection against nuclear-tipped missiles fired from future Iranian or North Korean submarines or from long-range bombers or yachts offshore?
Or maybe the key stumbling block is where to put the interceptors? After all, Alaska deployment is easy. Our coast is a bit more congested.
Loop Fans can help keep America safe!
Yes, it’s the Loop “Pick The Site” Contest. Where should the missiles go?
Maybe we could circle Manhattan with interceptors to protect the job creators on Wall Street? Or group them at the Baseball Hall of Fame in central New York to protect the national pastime? Hide them within the Epcot theme park in Orlando? Put a few in Chincoteague to protect the wild ponies?
You can leave your entry as a comment on the blog — you may want to double-check that there’s an active e-mail address associated with your washingtonpost.com log-in.
You can also e-mail us at intheloop@washpost.com. (Please make sure you include a home or cell phone so we can contact you.)
The top five winners will receive a coveted In the Loop T-shirt and the usual bragging rights when we announce winners. (If you need to enter “on background,” that’s fine.)
Don’t delay. Contest deadline is May 25.
By Al Kamen | 01:18 PM ET, 05/16/2012
