briand@tekig1.UUCP (Brian Diehm) (08/17/84)
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OK, I'll bite. Why is the Star Wars defense system such a bad idea?
For 40 years now, we've been treated to a balance of terror, an arms race
that doesn't stop, where the core concept is best understood by its acronym:
MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction).
Suddenly, it becomes well within the realm of technology to do just what
all the peace-loving people want: to make nuclear weapons obsolete, without
replacing them with even WORSE destructive weapons. Instead of us saying to
our opponents "If you destroy us, we'll make sure YOU don't survive, either"
we simply being able to say "Your nuclear attack won't work."
In an age when the MAD balance of power is beginning to crumble, JUST WHAT
IS SO BAD ABOUT SUDDENLY MAKING THE NUCLEAR THREAT INEFFECTIVE? (Note that it
becomes ineffective for both sides, too).
Now, the extremist conservatives point out that Russia seems mickle
anxious to have the USA bargain away this option, and they ask why? I am not
a radical conservative, but it also makes me wonder why? It seems to me that
if the Russians do this and we don't, then our threat suddenly is not only made
obsolete, but becomes inhumane and inappropriate. Note also that it doesn't
matter for that last statement if star wars type defense works or not, it only
matters that the Russians believe it will work for them.
I believe strongly that Russia represents a force against which we must
defend; I don't want unilateral disarmament, though I would more than welcome
universal, provable, disarmament. But if there is a possibility that the
Russians believe in the star wars technology, we're in trouble unless we can
counter it directly.
So, if the technology works, I ask why is the concept so bad?
Two quick comments: I think that from here on this should be moved to
net.politics; I am responding only because this was brought up here. Also, I
don't need emotional flames in response, I need constructive information about
why my views are inaccurate. OK, third quick (obvious) point: my views are
solely my own and not my employer's.
-Brian Diehm
Tektronix, Inc.