Ex-U.S. Official Warns Canada on Missile Defense

A former U.S. defense official said that the cost of participating in the U.S. missile defense program would outweigh the benefits to Canada, the CanWest News Service reported today (see GSN, Jan. 13).

“When I talk to most Americans they’re astonished that Canada would want to spend money on this,” said Philip Coyle, a former assistant defense secretary and Pentagon chief weapons tester. “Their first reaction is, ‘Who’s going to attack Canada?’”

Coyle said countries that join the system are being asked to bear the financial burden, which is set to reach $21 billion annually in 2013.

“The U.S. defense establishment is always interested in getting money from other countries. That’s why they market military systems to them,” he said. “So I can’t imagine that Canada would not be asked to contribute also.”

Ottawa last year refused a U.S. $500 million plan to install a missile defense radar in Canada. However, newly elected Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper has said his government would reopen a debate on joining the system, CanWest reported (CanWest News Service, Feb. 23).

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