CDI Senior Advisor The Hon. Philip Coyle, III on Missile Defense

5 May 2008

Coyle testified at two House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs hearings on April 16 and April 30, 2008. These hearings were the second and third in a series examining the U.S. missile defense program.

On April 16, The Hon. Philip Coyle, III discussed the enormous cost of missile defense now running at over $10 billion per year with over $150 billion spent since President Reagan's "Star Wars" speech, and the ways in which the threat has been exaggerated by the Pentagon to justify the cost. He examined the fact that U.S. missile defenses have no demonstrated effectiveness to defend the United States under realistic operational conditions, the lack of operational performance criteria and the vulnerability of U.S. missile defenses to attack. Coyle also argued that the Pentagon proposal to establish missile defense sites in Poland and the Czech Republic has alienated Russia to a degree not seen since the height of the Cold War, and for no good purpose since the proposed U.S. system in Europe has no demonstrated capability to defend Europe under realistic operational conditions.

On April 30, Coyle expanded on his earlier comments regarding the GMD program, on the proposed U.S. missile defenses proposed for Europe, and on the Airborne Laser, and add new comments regarding the Multiple Kill Vehicle (MKV) program. Also on the panel were The Honorable Henry F. Cooper,Ph.D., Chairman of the High Frontier organization and Joseph Cirincione, President of the Ploughshares Foundation.

The full testimony from April 16, 2008 can be viewed by clicking here.

The full testimony from April 30, 2008 can be viewed by clicking here.

To schedule an interview with Coyle, please contact Suzanne Ostrofsky at 202.797.5273.