"We believe that missile defense is a substantial contribution to NATO's collective security, " said White House spokeswoman Dana Perino.

CNN: Poland, U.S. sign missile shield deal

This time around, 18% of those polled said they understood the impact of the looming cuts, which cut across the entire government and take a substantial bite out of the defense budget.

CNN: Suffering from sequester burnout? You're not alone

Is Japan willing to consider offsetting the codevelopment arrangement on the FS-X with a substantial off-the-shelf defense purchase to demonstrate Japanese willingness to buy American when it is sensible to do so?

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: The US-Japan FS-X Fighter Agreement: Assessing The Stakes