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From: ned@SCIRTP.UUCP (Ned Robie)
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Re: Reagan's Giant Tennis Racket in the sky . . .
Message-ID: <231@SCIRTP.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 23-Jul-85 14:58:42 EDT
Article-I.D.: SCIRTP.231
Posted: Tue Jul 23 14:58:42 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 26-Jul-85 02:53:59 EDT
References: <3230@decwrl.UUCP>
Organization: SCI Systems, Research Triangle Park, NC
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>                                                 the growing consensus is that
> it CAN be built and WILL be effective ( that it, or anything, will not be
> 100% effective is a red herring)

Growing consensus??  Substantiation, please.

Red herring??  How will we ever KNOW if it's 100% effective???  The damned
thing can never be tested for that.  We have to assume that a few will get
through.  Even the star wars advocates admit that.

So what if it could be built.  What help is it?  Here's a list of probable
outcomes:

The Soviets will build more missiles so that the percentage that penetrate
star wars will be sufficient for mass destruction.  (Do you think they'll
assume it's 100% effective just because we say (think) it is?)

We'll build more star wars and missiles to counter the increase of Soviet
missiles. (Just in case star wars isn't 100% effective.)

The Soviets will build weapons to destroy our satellites.  Then we build
a defense to defend or defense.  C'mon!  When will it EVER END???

The Soviets will be even more paranoid than they are now because they'll
believe we'll be more likely to strike first since we have star wars to
protect ourselves against retaliation.  As a result, they'll try to beat
us to the button to do whatever damage they can.  Thus, the time to think
twice and negotiate is shortened even more.  It's already too short as it
is!

So, what does star wars do for us?  It destabalizes the current balance
of power by accelerating the arms race and shortens the time for negotiation
and reconsideration during times of crisis.  And don't tell me this is
commie hype.  It's just common sense.

"Oh, but we'll give them the technology...", you say.  Sure, we spend
billions on developing star wars and then we'll just give it to the
Soviets.  Gimme a break!  We'll just hand over all that advanced technology?
And you're talking about commie hype!?!  Look what's happening TODAY!
We're not giving them diddly.

The only reasons star wars is still alive is because it can make alot
of defense contractors rich, and the people that run those companies
have alot of clout.  Not to mention paranoid senators like Helms and East
that think the Soviets will attack any day now.

I don't know about you, but I'm keeping my eye on countries like Iran.
This life is meaningless to them.  They'd be much more likely to destroy
the world than the Soviets.

-- Ned Robie