Obama’s Weak Missile Defense Nominee

Conn Carroll / March 12, 2010

When President Barack Obama first nominated long time missile defense critic Philip Coyle to be associate director for national security and international affairs at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy back in October, we immediately noted that this nomination signaled a major shift in our ballistic missile defense policy.

Now others are also taking note. At The Weekly Standard, John Noonan writes: “If theology has crept into the missile defense debate, Coyle is the high priest of nay saying. There’s an inherent danger in placing ideologues, particularly those in favor of treaties which negotiate away U.S. security, in high level defense posts. … Coyle’s long, steadfast opposition to badly needed defensive systems, and his refusal to bend even when geo-political events dictate, make him a highly dubious candidate for such a critical White House position.” (more…)