Roméo Dallaire says Canadians can’t just assume the United States will shoot down a missile heading toward Canada, and that it is time for this country to finally embrace continental missile defence.
The U.S. invited Canada to join its continental missile-shield system more than a decade ago, but then-prime minister Paul Martin opted against it in 2005 following an extremely divisive national debate.
Since then, Canada has sat on the sidelines as the U.S. has spent more than $100 billion building a series of land- and sea-based interceptors that could stop the type of limited attack North Korea might launch
Ballistic missile defence has also been adopted by NATO allies in Europe and those in the Asia-Pacific region such as Australia and South Korea, leaving Canada as an outlier.
But any decision on whether to shoot down such a threat would rest solely with U.S. officials, who Dallaire noted have no legal obligation to react if the missile is heading toward Canada.
Joining ballistic missile defence would not only create that obligation, Dallaire said, but also act as a deterrent should North Korea or any other country use Canada as a “proxy target” for the U.S.
“Feeling that (the U.S.) would respond is quite different than having it somewhere on paper and being able to hold them accountable to respond should Canada be targeted,” Dallaire said.
Dallaire acknowledged having his own doubts about missile defence when the issue was first raised, but he said the technology has improved significantly.
more
https://www.thestar.com/news/canada...sile-defence-program-romeo-dallaire-says.html
The U.S. invited Canada to join its continental missile-shield system more than a decade ago, but then-prime minister Paul Martin opted against it in 2005 following an extremely divisive national debate.
Since then, Canada has sat on the sidelines as the U.S. has spent more than $100 billion building a series of land- and sea-based interceptors that could stop the type of limited attack North Korea might launch
Ballistic missile defence has also been adopted by NATO allies in Europe and those in the Asia-Pacific region such as Australia and South Korea, leaving Canada as an outlier.
But any decision on whether to shoot down such a threat would rest solely with U.S. officials, who Dallaire noted have no legal obligation to react if the missile is heading toward Canada.
Joining ballistic missile defence would not only create that obligation, Dallaire said, but also act as a deterrent should North Korea or any other country use Canada as a “proxy target” for the U.S.
“Feeling that (the U.S.) would respond is quite different than having it somewhere on paper and being able to hold them accountable to respond should Canada be targeted,” Dallaire said.
Dallaire acknowledged having his own doubts about missile defence when the issue was first raised, but he said the technology has improved significantly.
more
https://www.thestar.com/news/canada...sile-defence-program-romeo-dallaire-says.html