Congressional attitudes toward missile defense: implications for NMD from the sea
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Authors
Adams, David Allan
Subjects
National missile defense
Congress
Attitudes
Beliefs
Navy
Aegis
Public opinion
Congress
Attitudes
Beliefs
Navy
Aegis
Public opinion
Advisors
Wirtz, James J.
Lavoy, Peter R.
Date of Issue
1997-12
Date
December 1997
Publisher
Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School
Language
en_US
Abstract
Pursuing a ship-based missile defense capability could thrust the naval service into one of the most heated controversies of the past three decades: the congressional debate over the desirability--or danger--of erecting widespread ballistic missile defenses. To better understand the influences on congressional attitudes, this study examines five divisive congressional debates over missile defense. In contrast to traditional explanations that focus on the causal factors underlying congressional voting behavior, this thesis emphasizes the political process of framing issues to create the political climates that shape congressional attitudes and link them to voting decisions. This thesis shows that major shifts in missile defense policy occur when key individuals successfully manipulate powerful images to legitimize and popularize arguments favoring their desired policy option. Understanding how elites use images to shape political attitudes provides a framework for charting and navigating the congressional storm that is likely to surround the deployment of future Navy missile defense systems.
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
Department
National Security Affairs (NSA)
Organization
Naval Postgraduate School
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Funder
Format
xvi, 119 p.;28 cm.
Citation
Distribution Statement
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.