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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