Woosley: Missile Threat Downplayed

President Clinton’s former CIA director accused the administration Thursday of playing down the threat of a missile attack from Russia, China or elsewhere.

R. James Woolsey, who headed the nation’s spy apparatus during the first two years of the Clinton administration, told a House committee that the administration has understated the missile threat on multiple fronts.

In particular, Woolsey criticized an oft-quoted National Intelligence Estimate that found little threat of a missile attack on the contiguous 48 states until well into the next century.

“I believe that the ‘contiguous 48’ reference … can lead to a badly distorted and minimized perception of the serious threats we face from ballistic missiles now and in the very near future - threats to our friends, our allies, our overseas bases and military forces, our overseas territories, and some of the 50 states,” Woolsey told the House Government Reform and Oversight Committee.

Woolsey, now practicing law in Washington, has been embraced by Republicans seeking funding to deploy a national missile defense system by 2003. Woolsey said after the hearing that he supports legislation to deploy the missile defense system.