WHY DOES THE U.S. NEED A MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM?

Someone please explain to me why George Bush and Dick Cheney think that the United States needs a missile defense system, and why it needs to place such system in the Czech Republic and Poland?

The threat of some country shooting a missile at the United States is far fetched. Who could be the threat? North Korea, not likely, as it has hardly enough money to feed its population. Iran, no because Iran has no technology for a long-range missile system. And even if it did, what would be the possible consequences of such a rash military strike? Total destruction and annihilation of its cities and population, notwithstanding any Law of War.

The threat to the United States from missiles is imaginary and hallucinatory. There is no country that poses this threat, and there is no country that would actually attempt to fire one at the United States.

And why is the U.S. so intent on placing batteries in the Czech Republic and Poland? These countries border Russia. What must the Russians think? If I was Russian, I would be highly suspect that the U.S. under Bush would be planning some preventive strike. I realize that this is highly improbable to Americans, but we must see the Russian view through the prism of Russian history, which is replete with hundreds of invasions and attacks from foreigners.