Strategic Defense Initiative: do we really need it

Technical Report · Mon Apr 07 04:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:5280106

Behler, G R

In March 1983, President Ronald Reagan announced that his administration planned to start a multi-billion dollar research program called the Strategic Defense Initiative. This program is aimed at finding ways to defend the United States and its allies from strategic nuclear attack, using developing technologies. As announced by the US administration, the SDI is strictly a research program at this time. Most agree that such research does not violate existing US-USSR or other treaties. However, deployment of such a system would violate existing treaties. Few programs announced by any administration have created as much controversy. After almost three years of debate, all sides have had ample opportunity to express their points of view. This paper looks at what the Strategic Defense Initiative is, explores the positions of those in favor and those opposed to it, considers the potential impact of the Gramm-Rudman bill on the SDI and defense in general, and finally answers the question, Do we really need it.

• Research Organization: Army War Coll., Carlisle Barracks, PA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5280106
• Report Number(s): AD-A-168355/6/XAB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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