[Xandax]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GawainBS Think of it as a castle: Tactically defensive, but strategically offensive. Cutting down on your opponents options is quite an offensive tactic. I never understood why the US were so keen on that shield anyway, unless, you've got no intrest in letting the Cold War die.

The two aren't comparable in that manner.
A "castle" would also be a stronghold to launch offensively forces from as well, and as such it isn't a defensive tool.

The "shield" is defensive in the nature that it can only be used reactionary. Without incoming missiles, the shield is worthless.
The missile shield is there because of power balance and all that yes, but militarily it can never be used offensive, lest they change the layout of the weaponry, in which case it is no longer the missile shield but simply "ordinary" offensive missile silos.