Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ucbvax!WEIZMANN.BITNET!FNZAK
From: FNZAK@WEIZMANN.BITNET (Omer Zak)
Newsgroups: comp.society.futures
Subject: The bright side of the USA-USSR arms race
Message-ID: <8712171347.AA04834@bu-cs.bu.edu>
Date: 17 Dec 87 14:12:50 GMT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Distribution: world
Organization: The ARPA Internet
Lines: 34


Concerning the recent arms-limitation treaty between USA and USSR:
A point of view which could be adopted by a science fiction author (but
I never saw a Sci-Fi story with this kind of theme) is that it was very
fortunate for Earth people to have had this kind of arms race.

If we assume that mankind is not alone in space, it is possible that
there are warrior/enslaving races out in space.  Should such a race
have interest in conquering Earth, Earth would have been totally helpless
against their presumably superior technology.

However, thanks to the arms race, mankind has in its disposal the materials
and technology which allow Earth to be not-so-helpless against an invasion
from space.  Even technologically superior invasion force may find it hard
to win against a planet which has tons and tons of plutonium in its
inventories.

As practical matter, I suggest that the American and Soviet sides
consider converting their nuclear arsenal into one which is suitable for
fighting invasion from space (the controversial star wars program fits
in, too).  It would probably require stronger rockets than the ones presently
available.  Such arsenal would be suitable also for mutual deterring, a
function which is regrettably necessary and can't be done away with (lest
we all would be in the mercy of a tyrant who manages to put his hand
over nuclear weapons arsenal.
                                                   --- Omer

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