U.S. expert says Canada being pressured to join missile defence
John Ward
Canadian Press
October 1, 2004
Defence Minister Bill Graham agues that a Canadian refusal to join the system might leave the country shut out of decision-making on continental defence. (CP /Fred Chartrand)
OTTAWA (CP) - The United States is using subtle pressure and threats to push Canada into joining its missile defence system, a leading American opponent of the plan said Friday. Ted Postol, a physicist and MIT professor said Washington wants Canada on board and isn't reluctant to push.
"I don't find it odd that Canada would be concerned about this, because they are a partner that is being pulled into this pretty much without being asked," he said.
"There have been subtle, if not direct, threats."
Defence Minister Bill Graham and his predecessor, David Pratt, both argued that a Canadian refusal to join the system might leave the country shut out of decision-making on continental defence.
Postol, who has fought the ballistic missile defence scheme for years, said that is part of the threat.
"When I talk to Canadian officers and they are concerned, for example, that Canada will not have the same access to the North American Aerospace Defence Command activities, there's an implied threat on the part of the Americans toward the Canadians."
Postol was brought to Ottawa by a coalition of Canadian peace groups opposed to the missile defence plan. He is to participate in a number of seminars and lectures on the subject during the weekend as part of a cross-country protest.
Missile defence has become a hot political topic in Canada in recent months, with the NDP leading a growing body of opposition. Yet it seems to be a political dud in the U.S. presidential election.
Postol said that's because American voters are more concerned about the economy and Iraq.
"Most people aren't concerned about missile defence," he said.
He said he's not surprised, however, that Canadians are bothered, especially with the veiled threats from Washington.
Postol, however, disagrees with the thrust of much of the Canadian opposition.
Many Canadian opponents, including NDP Leader Jack Layton and writer and publisher Mel Hurtig, oppose the system because they see it as a first step towards lofting weapons into orbit.
Postol doesn't see that as a threat, saying there's no reason to put weapons into space.
His opposition is based on a simple premise: The system won't work.
He's adamant about that: "The system will have no military capability at all."
Postol said there is no way to tell the difference between an incoming warhead and a decoy, even a balloon. In space, the balloon and the warhead would plummet at the same speed on the same path and not even the most sophisticated radars will be able to tell which is the deadly bomb and which is the decoy.
"This is a system that can never work."
The Americans plan to deploy the first handful of interceptor missiles in Alaska and California this fall. While test results have been mediocre, supporters of the plan say improvements can me made as the system matures.
That's a fantasy, Postol said.
"This system as it's currently configured and in terms of all the plans they have for indefinite modernization has no chance of working." [/quote]
John Ward
Canadian Press
October 1, 2004
Defence Minister Bill Graham agues that a Canadian refusal to join the system might leave the country shut out of decision-making on continental defence. (CP /Fred Chartrand)
OTTAWA (CP) - The United States is using subtle pressure and threats to push Canada into joining its missile defence system, a leading American opponent of the plan said Friday. Ted Postol, a physicist and MIT professor said Washington wants Canada on board and isn't reluctant to push.
"I don't find it odd that Canada would be concerned about this, because they are a partner that is being pulled into this pretty much without being asked," he said.
"There have been subtle, if not direct, threats."
Defence Minister Bill Graham and his predecessor, David Pratt, both argued that a Canadian refusal to join the system might leave the country shut out of decision-making on continental defence.
Postol, who has fought the ballistic missile defence scheme for years, said that is part of the threat.
"When I talk to Canadian officers and they are concerned, for example, that Canada will not have the same access to the North American Aerospace Defence Command activities, there's an implied threat on the part of the Americans toward the Canadians."
Postol was brought to Ottawa by a coalition of Canadian peace groups opposed to the missile defence plan. He is to participate in a number of seminars and lectures on the subject during the weekend as part of a cross-country protest.
Missile defence has become a hot political topic in Canada in recent months, with the NDP leading a growing body of opposition. Yet it seems to be a political dud in the U.S. presidential election.
Postol said that's because American voters are more concerned about the economy and Iraq.
"Most people aren't concerned about missile defence," he said.
He said he's not surprised, however, that Canadians are bothered, especially with the veiled threats from Washington.
Postol, however, disagrees with the thrust of much of the Canadian opposition.
Many Canadian opponents, including NDP Leader Jack Layton and writer and publisher Mel Hurtig, oppose the system because they see it as a first step towards lofting weapons into orbit.
Postol doesn't see that as a threat, saying there's no reason to put weapons into space.
His opposition is based on a simple premise: The system won't work.
He's adamant about that: "The system will have no military capability at all."
Postol said there is no way to tell the difference between an incoming warhead and a decoy, even a balloon. In space, the balloon and the warhead would plummet at the same speed on the same path and not even the most sophisticated radars will be able to tell which is the deadly bomb and which is the decoy.
"This is a system that can never work."
The Americans plan to deploy the first handful of interceptor missiles in Alaska and California this fall. While test results have been mediocre, supporters of the plan say improvements can me made as the system matures.
That's a fantasy, Postol said.
"This system as it's currently configured and in terms of all the plans they have for indefinite modernization has no chance of working." [/quote]
