Increase in SDI testing
is de-stablizing move
President Reagan's proposal for unlimited testing of the
“Star Wars” defense system is a grave mistake. It not only
will damage relations with the Soviet Union, it will bring
the U.S. closer to a nuclear war.
On Monday Reagan proposed to advance the pattern of
tests currently being used for Star Wars. Under the Anti
Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty of 1972, no tests or deploy
ment of new ABM systems can occur. This proposal jeopar
dizes the treaty and moves the arms race to a new level.
The idea of a third generation of nuclear weapons was
prompted by the development of the Strategic Defense In
itiative (SDI). It moves the United States away from the con
cept of mutually assured distinction (MAD) and places us in
an offensive postion. It promotes overconfidence: the feeling
that ‘we don’t have to worry about a Soviet attack because
we’ll be able to stop it.’
This feeling of superiority may sound comforting, but it
actually brings us closer to a nuclear war — instead of pro
tecting us from one. Reagan is so sure of his SDI system that
he refuses to negotiate it with the Soviet Union. He has pro
mised to give the system to the Soviets as soon as it has been
developed fully. But Gorbachev’s fears that this won’t hap
pen are justified.
All talks between the two countries have come to a halt
because of SDI. At the Reykjavik summit meeting last Oc
tober Reagan and Gorbachev agreed to reductions in land
and sea-based missiles and intercontinental ballistic
missiles as well as removing weapons in Europe and Asia.
However, disagreements over SDI halted the signing of a for
mal agreement to these terms.
Gorbachev left the summit meeting saying no agreement
would be reached in the future unless SDI were included.
The United States gave up an important opportunity for im
proved relations with the Soviet Union. According to Mat
thew Bunn of the Arms Control Association, “We should
have snapped them (the proposals) up because it would have
meant a major increase in U.S. national security.” Unfor
tunately Reagan’s single-minded desires destroyed any
chance of a peaceful agreement with the Soviets in the near
future.
Pravda has called SDI “a destructive mine under the en
tire process of arms limitation and reduction. ...” This is a
very accurate assessment of the program. In 1985 the Soviet
Union declared a unilateral moritorium on underground
nuclear testing. The moratorium stemmed from a test ban
treaty banning all nuclear testing, existing since Reagan
took office. The treaty has not been signed simply because it
would prevent any further testing and development of Star
Wars.
It is obvious the Soviets are willing to cooperate with
the United States and limit nuclear weapons. The com
prehensive test ban is the only viable way this can be achiev
ed. The ban would prevent new, third-generation weapons
from being developed and force us to rely on the weapons
we already have. The concept of mutually-assured destruc
tion has worked in the past.
With a ban, tensions between the two countries would
decrease. The fear of bigger and better weapons being
developed would be eliminated.
Reagan has taken Star Wars too far. If he really wants to
promote relations with the Soviets, then he would agree to a
test ban or weapons limitation. But he has not. Instead he is
providing the United States with a system for nuclear war.
DO YOU SUFFER
FROM THE RAIN AND
ITCHING OF 3W0UBI
HEMORRHOIDAL TISSUEFy
•I
Letters
Einstein
Brian Frary’s letter (ODE,
Fob. 5) reminds one that many
people misquote Einstein, at
tempting to identify him with
their religious cause.
Einstein's religion was based
on the awe and wonder of
cosmic discoveries and
understanding, and Jewish
philosopher Spinoza was his
concept of "God" (Nature).
Einstein wrote in 1929,
"...knowing why Nature is
thus and not otherwise. Here
lies the highest satisfaction of a
scientific person. .. that is, as it
were, the religious basis of
scientific effort."
He had little regard for clergy
who "had become interested in
the accumulation and preserva
tion of political and economic
power, and they maintained
their sway over the masses
through a combination of
superstitions, fear and ‘divine
ly sanctioned' dogma." "Chur
ches are and have always been
greedy for power,” he wrote,
"and worked in company with
other powerful political groups,
mostly groups with reactionary
tendencies, to keep people in
ignorance and to exploit
them. ..." Reference: Einstein
in America by Jamie Sayen
(Crown. 1985), Chapter 10.
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Einstein believed religions bas
ed on anthropomorphic, scrip
tural “God” failed to lead
humankind through knowledge
and cooperation to a world of
justice, morality, brotherhood
and peace.
Students should remember
the purpose of their education is
to develop independent skills in
thinking and decision-making.
Prudence suggests they test the
merit and veracity of beliefs that
may need re-evaluation. The
University provides scholars
and experts ready to help, plus
important library resources.
The opportunity will never be
more favorable. Consider:
Pastors have always herded
sheep for their fleece, as
sacrificial offerings, and for the
wealth (power) they
represented.
Bert Tryba
Eugene
Fiction
Creative journalism reached a
new high with the printing of a
letter to the editor bearing my
name (ODE, Feb. 11). While I
did write a letter to the editor
outlining my adventures with
the ASUO regarding legal ser
vices, the published version of
that letter was altered.
1 did not write that Steve
Nelson “insisted an ASUO legal
representative on campus
created a conflict of in
terest. ..." Mr. Nelson did not
say this. Moreover, I was never
told by anyone at the ASUO that
a legal services booklet would
be provided “in exchange for a
student fee."
I appreciate the need for cor
Letters Policy
The Emerald will attempt to
print all letters containing fair
comment on topics of interest to
the University community.
Letters to the editor must be
limited to 250 words, typed,
signed and the identification of
the writer must be verified when
the letter is turned in. The
Emerald reserves the right to edit
any letter for length or style. Let
ters to the editor should be turn
ed into the Emerald office. Suite
300. EMU.
rective and space editing by the
Emerald, but I object to the
placement of fiction in my
letters.
Scott Elliott
Law
Fishy
Mr. Hytrek’s observations
deserve some comment (ODE,
Feb. 9). “Fisheries management
is not an exact science." True.
“All sides must cooperate if
we want to preserve the severe
ly depleted salmon runs in our
present society.” A commen
dable conclusion.
Expediently, the press and
media coverage leave out the
commercial ocean fisheries.
Whose side?
In all forms of entity disagree
ment, truth is the first
sacrifice.... Or could it be
some corporation predicts a
profitable market for radioactive
fish?
Leroy George
Former student
Mistake
In the Feb. 6 Emerald, I mis
quoted pro-life feminist
Rosemary Bottcher. The quote
should have read:
“Pro-abortion feminists re
sent the discrimination against
a whole class of humans
because they happen to be
female, yet they themselves
discriminate against a whole
class of humans because they
happen to be very young. They
resent that the value of a woman
is determined by whether some
man wants her, yet they declare
that the value of an unborn
child is determined by whether
some woman wants him. They
resent that women have been
' owned" by their husbands,
yet insist that the unborn are
“owned" by their mothers..
I apologize to Ms. Bottcher
and to the readers of the
Emerald for any confusion 1
may have caused.
Jeff Hoyt
Accounting