AFTER IRAQ, U.S. TO LAUNCH CRUISE MISSILE DEFENSE

WASHINGTON [MENL] -- The Bush administration has pledged to launch a programto defend against cruise missiles in wake of the U.S. failure to interceptsuch weapons fired by Iraq during the war in 2003. U.S. officials said the program would be included in the DefenseDepartment's $401.7 billion budget for fiscal 2005. Iraq fired at least twoChinese-origin Silkworm missiles that evaded Patriot missile defense systemsand landed in Kuwait in April 2003.