Using North Korea to make case for missile defense

Advocates for the U.S. missile defense shield cite North Korea as a compelling reason not to cut the program, although other officials and experts argue the system is not an effective way to fight North Korea’s missile development. “It’s really a bluff, hoping to deter North Korea, which of course it isn’t doing,” said Philip Coyle of the Ploughshares-funded Center for Defense Information.  North Korea’s launch of several missiles this week shows it could overwhelm the U.S. missile-defense system, but such an attack would provoke a massive U.S. retaliation to end the North Korean regime. “Does anyone really believe North Korea would be suicidal enough to attack us with a ballistic missile?” Coyle asked.