When testing our missile defenses against attack by North Korea or Iran, it is vital that we stop scripting those tests to succeed. We need to have real-life situations, including enemy decoys. We should also not buy anything until it has been so tested. Nor should anything be done until it has been fully conceived and vetted by the Pentagon.
No matter what happens, though, we should remember that it only takes one exception to cause disaster; thus, we should not be over-confident and pursue military options where safer options exist. (Perhaps the president’s authority to launch a nuclear attack should be limited if we are not attacked with nuclear weapons first.)
Alex Sokolow
Santa Monica, Calif.
