"Missile Defense" continues to flounder

The Missile Defense Agency reported a failed test. This is the brilliant system that's supposed to save Alaska and Hawaii should North Korea ever develop nuclear capability. (What? They already did? Oh my.)

The Missile Defense Agency announced today it was unable to complete a planned flight test after the interceptor missile did not launch from the Ronald Reagan Test Site, Republic of the Marshall Islands, in the central Pacific Ocean. The reason for not launching is under investigation, and program officials are reviewing data to determine the cause.

They're pretty brief in these press releases when the news isn't good. At least this program only costs $9 billion a year, a drop in the bucket compared to Iraq.