Chuck Hagel is certainly taking the “defense” part of Defense Secretary seriously. Hagel announced on Friday that the U.S. will be building up its missile-defense system on the West Coast in response to threats from North Korea. Fourteen missile interceptors will be added in California and Alaska, a 50 percent increase from the current levels of 26 interceptors in Alaska and four in California. Hagel said the buildup is especially necessary now due to North Korea’s improvement in long-range missile technology and since the communist country has launched a missile into space.
