Did anyone not see this coming?

The missile defense system failed another test It was meant to be in operation by the end of this year. They even had a homing beacon on it and waited for clear weather. Maybe if they slowed the rocket down a little bit.

Meanwhile, we can't seem to find the money to armor our Humvees for troops that are already on the ground. Just exactly what does Rumsfeld have to do to get fired?

An attempt to launch an interceptor missile as part of the U.S. missile defense shield failed early Wednesday in the first test of the system in nearly two years.

The Missile Defense Agency said the ground-based interceptor automatically shutdown "due to an unknown anomaly" shortly before it was to be launched from Kwajalein Atoll in the central Pacific Ocean.

and

The missile defense shield was meant to be in operation by the end of 2004.

In earlier tests, missile interceptors had a record of five-for-eight in hitting target missiles.