1.   And it has insisted that it will continue to develop missiles for its own defense, a stance that seemed at variance with the proposal announced on Wednesday.

2.   As for Iran and Iraq, they are considered years away from developing long-range missiles.

3.   Critics also argue the system would prompt Russia to develop missiles to defeat it, sparking an arms race.

4.   Encouragingly, China recently promised the United States that it would no longer help Iran or any other country develop advanced missiles.

5.   Intelligence experts say the security breach may have allowed China to develop longer-range missiles carrying more accurate multiple warheads.

6.   Israel has been issuing stern warnings for a year-and-a-half that Iran was working hard to develop long-range missiles.

7.   Iran is also making strides toward developing long-range missiles that could be armed with nuclear warheads.

8.   Iraq, Iran and North Korea have worked to develop intercontinental missiles, experts say, and their warheads would probably tumble.

9.   It was already well known that North Korea possesses chemical weapons and that it has been working to develop missiles.

10.   Long-range missiles now being developed by North Korea, Iraq and Iran pose a legitimate security concern.