Iran is unlikely to be able to deploy a liquid-propellant ballistic missile with enough range to threaten Western Europe until 2014-15, while a three-stage 3,700 km range version of its new Sejil 2 solid-propellant ballistic missile is at least four to five years away from possible deployment, according to a report 'Iran's Ballistic Missile Capabilities: A net assessment' produced by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). "The worst-case scenario, projected at the end of the 20th century, about Iran being able to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile [ICBM] capable of striking the United States within five years has not materialised," said IISS director-general and chief executive Dr John Chipman at the document's launch [.]
I'm glad that Iran is not proceeding as fast as we feared. Although I assume that the timeline could speed up if they get outside help to do so. Or perhaps even if they don't get outside help, actually.
In any case, this shouldn't be an excuse to put off missile defenses a few more years. Shouldn't we want to have defenses in place before Iran can launch at us or our allies?
