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From: al@ames.UUCP (Al Globus)
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Star Wars -> Nuclear war
Message-ID: <827@ames.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 28-Feb-85 18:28:34 EST
Article-I.D.: ames.827
Posted: Thu Feb 28 18:28:34 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 4-Mar-85 08:17:48 EST
Distribution: net
Organization: NASA-Ames Research Center, Mtn. View, CA
Lines: 18

Assertion: Deployment of star wars will result in thermonuclear war

Data:  Geoffrey Blainey in "The Causes of War" investigated the causes of
all international wars in the last three centuries.  He found that in
most cases one side, the other, or both had a great feeling of optimism
just before hostilities began.

'Proof' (of course there's no such thing as a real proof in politics):
Given this data and the lack of defense against nuclear weapons, it
is easy to see why we have not seen a major nuclear war - no one is
able to delude themselves into optimism about world war three.  With
a star wars defense, whether it works or not, it will be possible for
leaders to convince themselves that victory can be had at little cost
and this apparently necessary precondition for war will exist.  If 
star wars works, millions will die on one side.  If star wars doesn't
work - a significant possibility given the human penchant for error
in design and operation - millions will die on both sides.  Most of
us will probably be included.