REVIEW CITES FLAWS IN U.S. ANTIMISSILE PROGRAM. Dr. Theodore A. Postol, a former Pentagon science adviser and M.I.T. professor who forcefully criticized the performance of the Patriot antimissile system in the 1991 Persian Gulf war, is now casting doubt on the reliability of the Navy’s SM-3 ballistic missile defense (BMD) interceptor, saying “The system is highly fragile and brittle and will intercept warheads only by accident, if ever.”

Postel has long been of the opinion that no defense is better than an imperfect defense. I prefer the view that something is better than nothing. Improvements will come.