7A- Testing the Hypothesis Part 1

Hypothesis:

     There is an international security and defense problem in regards to North Korea’s missile threats and America is carrying the financial burden of providing the surrounding nations with protection.

Interview Summaries:

Interviewee 1)  I tried to gather information from this woman as to her opinion on whether North Korea was a real threat. She discussed the fact that growing up during the Cuban Missile Crisis, any threat of missile attacks on civilians should be taken seriously. This made me feel optimistic about their being a place for a privately contracted missile defense development in the Pacific but this is just one person. I continued and asked her what her friends or coworkers thought of the situation. She said that people did not really talk about it much but that everyone is definitely aware of their threats. She also expressed the fact that this would be a really high barrier-to-entry field for an entrepreneur to enter.

Interviewee 2)    This gentleman was in the Air Force for roughly 20 years and when asked about private contracting for military operations he stated that it always felt like America was getting ripped off by contractors when there is a military capable of the same job for cheaper. He also did not seem confident in the UN’s ability to help pay for a private sector defense system in the Pacific. This was the briefest of my interviews and in closing the gentleman suggested that Japan and America were capable of easily defending themselves, as well as South Korea, from North Korea.

Interviewee 3)    In asking one of my roommates about his opinion on North Korea he responded that it made him feel more comfortable that America has been maintaining such a large military presence in the Pacific. He also felt more worried about China and Russia in the future than N. Korea right now. When I suggested that a private company could take some of the financial burden off of America if it maintained a missile defense system paid for by the UN, he felt that he trusted the American Navy and Air Force more to provide that service despite the cost. So far I am starting to feel like people want the American military to provide our security as opposed to a company. My roommate also kind of roasted me saying this idea was as far fetched as I could have possibly thought of for a simple assignment but it’s an interesting one to tackle.

Interviewee 4) Why does this opportunity exist was the question for this young man and he said that a missile being launched over Japan is grounds for the UN to take any measures necessary to provide missile defense in that region. Who would it benefit for my private missile defense system to become a reality I asked and he stated that it could potentially spread to be global defense system and allow all UN members to benefit. The what of the issue is really covered in the previous two questions but I asked what are other solutions to this issue and he believed that diplomacy and shows of force were the only ways to peacefully avoid an attack. This showed me that there is definitely a risk is his opinion and that it is an issue that needs immediate attention.

Interviewee 5)    This lady felt that other nations helping to pay the current defense we provide via trade benefits or something like that could be an alternative to my aforementioned idea. This at least acknowledges the opportunity I believed to be there even though it is an alternative. She went on to say that there would be massive amounts of money involved in such a deal for private defense or American military defense in either case. I agree with that because the technology does not come cheap. In concluding with my interview I picked her brain about other private defense services that have potential and she felt that private securities for shipping off of Africa would be helpful but those already exist so it was a good thought at least.

Concluding thoughts:

     After all of my interviews a lot of the feedback acknowledged the opportunity that I saw in missile defense from North Korea. Though, most people trust American military assets to handle the job better than a private company, even in the UN paid for it and saved America money. I guess safety has a price of priceless. Some people felt that it was an industry in radar and missile defense that has such a high barrier to entry that I could never make any attempt at starting something new. I agree with that and believe it would be an opportunity that I would have to help facilitate through an existing company. I essentially learned that this opportunity exists but that it is a tricky one and not necessarily wanted by as many people as I assumed.