Star Wars in a nuclear world
Lord Zuckerman is a world authority on the rivalries and politics of the nuclear age. Few scientists distinguished in their own right have had as much experience as he has of both the national and international corridors of power. During World War Two he was Strategic Planning Adviser to Air Marshal Tedder and General Eisenhower. From 1960 to 1971 he was Chief Scientific Adviser to the Ministry of Defence and to the British Government as a whole. He is an unrelenting critic of the Star Wars programme introduced by President Reagan in 1983. He writes, ''Had anyone other than the American President ever invited scientists to try to render 'nuclear weapons impotent and obsolete' the suggestion would probably have attracted no more attention than had they been asked to square the circle or solve the problem of perpetual motion. But it happened to be the President, and he spelled out his vision of a future over which the nuclear bomb no longer casts a shadow in such homely terms that it all sounded real. How could the message fail to appeal.'' Lord Zuckerman is critical not only of Star Wars but also of the futility of the nuclear arms race. ''The arms-race has absorbed enormous resources. The nuclear arsenals of East and West have continued to grow. But, paradoxically, national security seems to have lessened everywhere.
- OSTI ID:
- 6363604
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
290200 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Economics & Sociology
293000 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Policy
Legislation
& Regulation
350200* -- Arms Control-- Proliferation-- (1987-)
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
ADVERSARIES
ARMS CONTROL
BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSE
DECISION MAKING
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
NATIONAL DEFENSE
NATIONAL SECURITY
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
PERSONNEL
POLITICAL ASPECTS
PROFESSIONAL PERSONNEL
PROLIFERATION
SCIENTIFIC PERSONNEL
SECURITY
WEAPONS