Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site oliveb.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!tektronix!hplabs!oliveb!jerry
From: jerry@oliveb.UUCP (Jerry Aguirre)
Newsgroups: net.followup,net.politics
Subject: Star Wars Defense
Message-ID: <150@oliveb.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 28-Aug-84 15:10:44 EDT
Article-I.D.: oliveb.150
Posted: Tue Aug 28 15:10:44 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 30-Aug-84 10:48:43 EDT
Organization: Olivetti ATC, Cupertino, Ca
Lines: 32

First let me state that if a practical defense against ICBMs can be
developed then I am for it.  Even a limited defense capability would
help with accidental launches and launches by terrorists.

What I would like is for someone who is proposing the "Star Wars" plan
to answer the question of how we defend a space based weapons system.
Before Star Wars there was a lot of news about the development of
killer satellites and other weapons capable of destroying satellites.
At that point the worry was over loosing our surveillance and
communications but the same vulnerability would seem to apply to space
based weapons systems.  I think the question about what happens when
the other side puts a hundred pounds of gravel in the reverse orbit
ought to be answered also.

About the only way I can see to counter this kind of threat is to put
up thousands of small individual systems along with thousands more decoy
systems.  But none of the proposed systems seem to be along this line.

If we put up a billion dollar weapons system and they knock it down
with a million dollar weapons system then I think we lost out on the
deal.  This brings me to another related question.  Suppose we build
this weapons system and someone knocks it down (or for those who
believe it can't be knocked down, suppose they try).  Is that grounds
for war?  Do we open a whole new area for "incidents" like we had with
the U2 reconnaisance flights.

If that isn't enough for discussion what if happens someone launches a
strike against us and we knock out all the incoming weapons?   Do we
still launch a counter strike?

					    Jerry Aguirre
{hplabs|fortune|ios|idi|ihnp4|tolerant|allegra|tymix}!oliveb!jerry