Why did the United States withdraw from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in 2002?

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The United States withdrew from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in 2002 primarily because the administration of President George W. Bush viewed the agreement as a "relic" of the Cold War that hindered modern national security needs.1

During the 1990s, the focus of U.S. arms control shifted toward addressing potential small-scale missile threats from "rogue" states. To counter these risks, the U.S. proposed a National Missile Defense (NMD) system. Because this system was designed to provide nationwide defense, it was inconsistent with the ABM Treaty, which restricted both the U.S. and the Soviet Union from deploying defenses that could protect their entire territories.1

While previous efforts sought to amend the treaty to allow for limited defenses, the Bush administration opted to abrogate the agreement entirely. In December 2001, the U.S. provided the required six-month notice, marking the first time the nation had withdrawn from a major arms control agreement.1