As the number of missile-wielding states grows and as the nuclear club expands, the likelihood of a missile being unleashed against the American people or their allies—whether by mistake, miscalculation, or a madman—also grows. Missile defense doesn’t eliminate the danger, but it does give us a fighting chance to confront it.

North Korea’s nuclear-weapons tests, missile launches, and threats to attack American territory are hostile acts. What is debatable is how the United States and allies should respond.

After North Korea’s successful ICBM test on July 4, does the Trump administration have any realistic policy options to deter the Kim Jong-un regime?

There are legitimate reasons to brace for the worst on the Korean Peninsula. The challenge in bracing for the worst is to not hasten the worst.

One area, happily, where President-elect Donald Trump has left little room for concern, at least during the campaign, is missile defense.