Lies that stopped a test ban

Journal Article · Sat Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1988 · Bull. At. Sci.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/00963402.1988.11456211· OSTI ID:6228146

Evernden, J F

The demise of arguments based on verification, on-site inspection, and treaty evasion has driven test ban opponents to desperate measures. One of the more questionable ploys has been the long standing accusation that the Soviets cheated on the 1974 negotiated treaty limiting tests to 150 kilotons; such cheating supposedly proves the Soviets to be untrustworthy. (The Soviets ratified the treaty but the United States has never done so, although both have tacitly agreed not to violate its terms.) The accusations were known to be false when first made and are false today. Proper procedures for estimating yields of Soviet explosions were in the US scientific literature several years before the treaty was negotiated. All investigations of the past 15 years have confirmed the validity of those procedures. However, either by design or as the result of being misinformed, President Reagan, Secretary of State George Shultz, and former Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger have tried to convince the public that available data proved those published results to be wrong. No analyses supporting the view of these gentlemen have ever been accepted by scientific review. Thus, the last of the supposed seismological arguments against a treaty banning all but small nuclear tests is a false as most of the others. 10 references.

• Research Organization: Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6228146
• Journal Information: Bull. At. Sci.; (United States), Journal Name: Bull. At. Sci.; (United States) Vol. 44:8; ISSN BASIA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

350101* -- Arms Control-- Policy
Negotiations
& Legislation-- Treaties-- (1987-)
350300 -- Arms Control-- Verification-- (1987-)
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
ARMS CONTROL
EXPLOSIONS
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
INSPECTION
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
TREATIES
VERIFICATION
VIOLATIONS