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From: db@cstvax.UUCP (Dave Berry)
Newsgroups: net.physics,net.space,net.research
Subject: Re: Star-Wars
Message-ID: <24@cstvax.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 19-Nov-85 06:55:10 EST
Article-I.D.: cstvax.24
Posted: Tue Nov 19 06:55:10 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 23-Nov-85 01:48:26 EST
References: <384@ukc.UUCP> <201@prometheus.UUCP> <3327@brl-tgr.ARPA>
Reply-To: db@cstvax.UUCP (Dave Berry)
Organization: Comp. Sc., Edinburgh Univ., Scotland
Lines: 52
Xref: watmath net.physics:3616 net.space:4774 net.research:349

In article <3327@brl-tgr.ARPA> gwyn@brl-tgr.ARPA (Doug Gwyn <gwyn>) writes:
>> I suspect the Russians have made a monumental discovery
>> and are not willing to share it with us, and if I am correct as
>> to what is is, I don't blame them because in a few more years it
>> will give them a massive military edge.
>
>It is, I thought, well known that the Soviets test-fired a
>neutral particle beam "weapon" several years ago.  One assumes
>that they are farther along by now.

Yes, but do they have the computing skills/resources to control an actual
system (as opposed to a test version)?  I doubt it - people here are being 
jailed for shipping PDP-11s to Warsaw Pact countries, and from what we know of 
their computer science research they're far behind us.  And YOUR software 
engineers don't think SDI is feasible, so I doubt that the USSR could manage it.

>If it weren't so dangerous, it would be almost amusing how
>readily a lot of Americans (apparently including the President
>himself) jump at the chance to bargain away strategic defense
>at the negotiating table.

You haven't had one for 40 years and you're still the most powerful nation
on Earth.

>If you read the memoirs
>of high-level Soviet defectors (not ballet performers, but those
>involved in the military, intelligence, or diplomatic service),
>you will find that it is quite common for the Soviets to
>encourage nuclear-freeze, unilateral disarmament, and anti-
>defense movements in the U.S.  Often this is not as overt as
>Velikov lobbying in the Senate.  But if you're the least bit
>suspicious of the Soviet government having our best interests at
>heart, you might be able to conclude what their perception of
>the real worth of America's military development is.  Of course,
>your values may not be quite the same as theirs..

I've been involved in the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament for some years,
and I've seen little of this money.  Even if it's there, it doesn't mean
that an arms freeze is to our disadvantage - I think an arms freeze would
benefit everyone in the world (*) including the USSR, who could then develop
their economy & provide a better standard of living for their people.

* - except those who make money from developing weapons, of course.

>This subject should probably move off net.physics, but I don't
>know where it belongs.  Sorry.

Try the arms-digest (now available as mod.arms-d).

-- 
	Dave Berry. CS postgrad, Univ. of Edinburgh		
					...mcvax!ukc!cstvax!db