Debate Over ‘Star Wars’
Gray refers to Ronald Reagan as the “father of the Strategic Defense Initiative.” Although President Reagan publicized SDI in a March, 1983, speech, the title of “father of SDI” properly belongs to Edward Teller, along with his title of “father of the hydrogen bomb.”
President Reagan is a kindly man with tremendous political clout, remarkable persuasive powers, and a proclivity for having things comfortable. Teller is a brilliant scientist with a passion for protecting America from its enemies.
What Reagan and Teller have in common is a tendency to slip into fantasy when pressed to support such programs as SDI. Without a scientific background Reagan can only hope that SDI is based in reality, per SDI believers, and that all Americans will be safe from horrible nuclear attacks. Teller appears to stretch to keep unshaken confidence in the possibility and reliability of SDI mostly set in a murky future, while many other scientists doubt the soundness of SDI.
Meanwhile very little is said or written about the possible disastrous results of an arms race in space. And only meager attention is given to billions or trillions of dollars that SDI will siphon away from funds to minimize humanity’s social problems such as disease, poverty, hunger, education and ecological blunders.
And with so many people trying to do the right things, voters still must dig deep to get their priorities right if the Earth is to survive.
LARRY KELBLEY
Rancho Palos Verdes
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