Word: visioning
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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Then, in concluding his down-to-earth defense of his budget, Reagan launched the debate over U.S. military spending into an entirely different orbit. "Let me share with you a vision of the future which offers hope," he began. The President went on to suggest that America forsake the three-decade-old doctrine of deterring nuclear war through the threat of retaliation and instead pursue a defensive strategy based on space-age weaponry designed to "intercept and destroy" incoming enemy missiles. "I call upon the scientific community in our country, those who gave us nuclear weapons, to turn their great...
With so many crucial defense decisions looming in the coming months, it was distressing that Reagan chose this particular moment to introduce his star wars vision of missile defense forces. The issue of altering fundamental nuclear strategies is far too important to be tossed about either for temporary political impact, or in the name of getting the levels of defense spending that he feels ? rightly or wrongly ? the nation so urgently needs. Shifting to a system of satellite defenses would require years of careful planning and sincere negotiations with the Soviets, for the idea can never work...
Reagan's video-game vision of satellites and other weapons that might some day zap enemy missiles with lasers or particle beams and the drama surrounding his unexpected announcement were partly a political ploy to change the context of the debate over defense spending. But if his space-age plan proceeds, or even if the suggestion of a shift in strategy is taken seriously, the implications are staggering. Indeed, as Reagan said, "we are launching an effort which holds the promise of changing the course of human history." Not since 1972, when the antiballistic missile (ABM) treaty was signed...
Reagan felt the need to include a positive element in his speech last week to show that his Administration had a broader vision than simply confronting security problems with greenbacks. So he decided to announce his space-age plan with some public fanfare, rather than simply order that it be studied quietly.* Clark warned Reagan on the day of the speech that he could expect criticism, even from within his Administration, for precipitately suggesting such a radical change in strategy. "It won't be the first time," the President replied. "It doesn't bother...
Reactions to Reagan's defense of his military spending plans were dwarfed by the debate over his vision of satellite missile killers. "To inject and hurl out this new idea while the whole world is waiting for the U.S. to come up with a reasonable arms control proposal I find bizarre," said Democratic Senator Christopher Dodd of Connecticut. "Can you imagine the reaction here and abroad if Yuri Andropov had made this speech?" Others were appalled at the enormous potential costs of a space race. Said Republican Senator Mark Hatfield of Oregon: "It is a call to siphon...