Robert Walpole, a senior CIA official, told a Senate panel on 9 Feb that the ballistic missile threat against the US continues to grow. Walpole said that North Korea, Iran, and possibly Iraq could have missiles able to hit the US within 15 years, possibly much sooner. Walpole noted that Russia and China continued selling missile technology despite promises not to do so, and that North Korea has continued its Taepo Dong-2 missile program despite a promise to freeze the program in exchange for a loosening of sanctions. Walpole noted, however, that US territory was more likely to be hit by weapons of mass destruction delivered by terrorists than by missiles. --Stephen V Cole