An American anti-war activist and journalist says that the THAAD missile deployment in South Korea proposed by the United States, is part of a US plan to launch a nuclear “first strike” attack on Russia or China.”

Bruce Gagnon, the coordinator of the Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space, made the remarks in an interview with Press TV on Saturday, after US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said the United States will go ahead with the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in South Korea despite Chinese complaints.

The US and South Korea began official discussions last month on possible deployment of the THAAD system to combat the alleged threat of North Korea’s missiles.

“US Secretary of War Ashton Carter claims that the THAAD deployment in South Korea has nothing to do with China, but in fact he is lying trough his teeth. It has everything to do with China. North Korea is not a threat,” Gagnon said.

“In fact missile launched from North Korea into South Korea would not gain enough altitude for the THAAD system to work. So, in fact, it’s a sleight of hand, it’s a magician’s trick to claim that this is about North Korea,” he added.

“In fact, North Korea has very little space technology… So, the US has always used North Korea ‘threat’ as justification for deploying these so-called missile defense systems, just as the United States has used Iran as a threat to deploy these systems surrounding Russia today. So, it’s the same shell game that’s going on,” the analyst pointed out.

“Missile defense really is a key element in US first strike attack planning,” Gagnon said. “The idea is that when you launch a first strike attack on Russia or China, they then try to fire their remaining retaliatory strike, after the US hit their nuclear systems, and it is then when the so-called missile defense system would be used to pick of that retaliatory strike.”

“So after the US first strike lunges into the heart of China or Russia the so-called missile defense shield would then be used to pick of these retaliatory strikes,” he reiterated.

“In fact, at the US Space Command, the United States annually war games this very thing. They practice a first strike at China or Russia and they use missile defense as a way to pick of their retaliatory strikes,” the anti-war activist noted.

China has said it is “firmly opposed” to the deployment of the THAAD system, which has a range that would extend far beyond the Korean Peninsula.

Beijing sees THAAD deployment as part of a broader US strategy to contain China and has expressed concern that the advanced missile system might be used to “target China.”

Washington has claimed the proposed deployment is designed purely to counter the threat of North Korean missiles and would not harm China’s strategic deterrent.

By Press TV