Contessa Brewer: When it comes to defending the country for the years to come, the final touches are being put on the Fiscal 2008 Defense Authorization Measure now being considered on Capitol Hill. While specifics of the bill won't be known until tomorrow, the measure's expected to include billions for several high tech missile defense programs. Projects like the airborne laser and Israeli-made Arrow program are included in the nearly 460-billion-dollar appropriations bill. We're fortunate on this Veterans' Day to have two MSNBC military analysts retired U.S. Army Colonel Jack Jacobs here with me and retired Four-Star General Wesley Clark. Gentlemen, great to see you both today.

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Thank you, Contessa.

Contessa Brewer: General Clark, why are we seeing a renewed interest in missile defense systems?

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Well, I think this is all part of a long-standing program that was begun back during the mid-1990's to get the next phase of technology ready. We know our potential adversaries are developing increasingly capable missiles. Countries like Iran and North Korea have these systems. The question is: Can we do anything to prevent our forces or our cities or our allies from being struck? And the answer turned out to be: Yes, but it depends on the speed of the missile coming in, and that is a function of how high it flies and how far it falls down. And so, we started with the ability to intercept short-range missiles and we're moving out to the ability to intercept intercontinental ballistic range missiles. And so, this is a ten-year technology development program that's seen the first fielding in Alaska of this intercontinental ballistic intercept capability.

Contessa Brewer: You know, Colonel, I know that there was a big battle brewing in Europe over a defense missile shield that was going to go up there, and the Russians said, 'No way. This is going to re-ignite an arms race.' And so now, this bill is expected to halt that defense system. Is there a, a consideration to be made about whether having this missile defense shield really makes us safer?

Col. Jack Jacobs: Well, I think it certainly makes our allies safer, and it may in fact make us safer too. But one of the things we're ignoring right now is the vituperativeness with which Russia has taken on this subject. I- The, the, the, their Parliament has supported the Kremlin in, in getting out of the agreement that we made to keep a lid on, on conventional forces in Europe. Russia's very much concerned our ex- what they perceive to be as our expansion. NATO's now bigger than it was before. There are countries that were part of the USSR who are now part of NATO. And so, they're very much concerned. But there's no doubt about the fact that we need to plan for the future. And the, the, and the, the Ir-Iranians are not the only ones who are threats to send missiles into Europe or any of our other allies too. So, we need to plan ahead, but we also need to make sure that we do things behind the scenes to keep a lid on the nasty talk that's starting to take place.

Contessa Brewer: General, given how much money is going to have to go into planning for this missile defense shield, is there a better way defense-wise for keeping us safe? Is there a better plan to- could there be a better way to use that money?

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Well, I think if any time you can talk people out of having weapons that threaten you, that's always the better way to go. And that's why I favored unconditional dialog with Iran. I'd like to see us end the cold war, the threat of the hot war with Iran, and maybe that would take away-

Contessa Brewer: Mm.

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: -some of the need to invest in these missile defenses in Europe. I know a lot of people believe that, but Jack's right. I mean, they, they can make our allies safer, and we do have to be careful about the Russian reaction.

Contessa Brewer: General Clark, Colonel Jacobs, thank you both.

Col. Jack Jacobs: Good to be with you.

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Thank you.