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From: rohn@randvax.UUCP (Laurinda Rohn)
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: Controlling Nuclear Weapons
Message-ID: <2146@randvax.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 26-Nov-84 15:41:14 EST
Article-I.D.: randvax.2146
Posted: Mon Nov 26 15:41:14 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 30-Nov-84 11:43:43 EST
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Organization: Rand Corp., Santa Monica
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> > = Lauri Rohn (me!)
>   =   tim sevener whuxl!orb


> >                                          ...  And I hope he doesn't mean
> > that just because one understands calculus, one automatically understands
> > nuclear policy or strategy.  That is definitely absurd.
> > 
> > 					Lauri Rohn
> No, and just because somebody may NOT understand calculus does not mean they
> cannot be informed on ways to promote Peace and control nuclear arms.
> (which is the proposition repeated by Milo and others)

This is not what I said, and what I said does not even imply this.  Nor do
I believe that understanding calculus is a prerequisite to understanding
arms control issues.  Please do not twist things like that in the future.


> The only way to *control* nuclear weapons is to *control* nuclear weapons.
> That is to negotiate bilateral verifiable agreements which attain exactly
> this aim.  This does not guarantee that such agreements will not be broken.

Please note the word "verifiable".  This is a major stopping point,
particularly so when some sides refuse to allow on-site inspections.


> But then there is a body, the Standing Consultative Committee which has
> been established to monitor compliance with treaties.
> Why hasn't the Reagan administration brought their complaints of violations
> before this committee?
> Presidents Nixon, Ford and Carter all brought complaints before this
> Committee, so far Reagan has brought none. Why?

Probably because he saw how effective it was.  What did this Committee
do about said violations brought to its attention?  Bend the offending
side's library card?  The SCC seems about as effective as the World
Court.


> If one million six hundred thousand times the destructive power of
> Hiroshima does not threaten the human race what level does?
> Both sides have enough nuclear weapons to target every city down to
> 15,000 people.  Do we need more?

Ah, we are again reverting to beancounting.  I have commented on the
uselessness of this before.


> Increasing our nuclear weapons does NOT make us safer by any means.

As a matter of fact, it may in fact make us safer.  The issues are still
not nearly as black and white as you would like them to be.  Sorry!


					Lauri
					rohn@rand-unix.ARPA
					..decvax!randvax!rohn