Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site oddjob.UChicago.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!mgnetp!ihnp4!gargoyle!oddjob!matt From: matt@oddjob.UChicago.UUCP (Matt Crawford) Newsgroups: net.followup Subject: Re: Star Wars Defense Plan Message-ID: <383@oddjob.UChicago.UUCP> Date: Thu, 16-Aug-84 21:32:14 EDT Article-I.D.: oddjob.383 Posted: Thu Aug 16 21:32:14 1984 Date-Received: Sat, 18-Aug-84 00:28:01 EDT References: <809@ihuxb.UUCP> Organization: U. Chicago: Astronomy & Astrophysics Lines: 27 > I am not a scientist, and I wouldn't be so quick to discount this idea. > If we can truly stop 95% of the incoming missiles, then I think we > should give some serious thought to this plan. > I also heard on the news that several imminent scientists testified before > congress in favor of this plan and I have to believe that they have a > better understanding of the merits and faults of this plan than either > Gary or myself. --> Allen <-- ihnp4!ihuxb!alle Since my thesis defense is coming up I guess I am an imminent scientist also. Let me say then that this sort of "trust your government, child" attitude can lead easily to disasters of the worst sort. The technical aspects of the space-based BMD have been discussed in accessible sources such as Scientific American and you can read them for your self. Rather than debate technical points in this forum let me just say that if the United States began to deploy such a defense that even had the appearance of effectiveness without first ACHEIVING an enormous reduction in armaments, I would leave the country, the hemisphere, and if it were feasible, the planet. Imagine that such a defense were about to be completed next month and that the Soviet weapons would be nearly useless thereafter, while those of the US were still in place. Given Mr. Reagan's acknowledged wish to destroy the Soviet Union by force, what might they be tempted to do? ___________________________________________________________ Matt University ARPA: crawford@anl-mcs.arpa Crawford of Chicago UUCP: ihnp4!oddjob!matt