OPINION:
Peter Vincent Pry has joined others who for the past three decades have warned that successive U.S. administrations have not done enough to ensure American security in this nuclear-proliferated world. (“Time to replace mutual assured nuclear destruction with a shield of space-based defenses,” Web, Dec. 14).
Mr. Pry points out that space-based defenses could produce a revolution in military affairs, making nuclear missiles obsolete. It’s not quite original; the concept seems to reflect some of the very words used by President Reagan in a speech he made in March 1983, when he introduced the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) to a surprised world.
Britain was the first nation to sign a memorandum of understanding, in 1985, to work with America on the research program to develop a strategic defense, and I was appointed director general for British involvement. After leaving that post in 1990 I wrote a book, “Faith in G.O.D.S.: Stability in the Nuclear Age,” that explained it would not be possible to deploy an effective defense against ballistic missiles carrying nuclear warheads without incorporating a space-based element. Hank Cooper, the third director of the SDI organization, was developing a space-based interceptor program, which failed to achieve congressional approval and was stopped.
In summary, no administration since 1990 has accepted the proposition that we cannot meet the requirements for deploying an effective missile defense without incorporating space-based interceptors.
Mr. Pry hopes that the next administration will give higher priority to deterring a nuclear World War III by supporting the need for space-based interceptors. Unlike Mr. Pry, however, I foresee little likelihood of such a war, and sadly I see even less chance of the next administration taking strong action to enhance our present, inadequate national missile defense.
STANLEY ORMAN
Rockville, Md.
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