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Show The National Enterprise, July 20, 1977 Page twenty-fou- r The Prince Column Case for the neutron bomb We doubt that thoughtful people over the centuries have ever been comfortable when quantum developments occurred in the technology of weapons of destruction. The discomfort intensified greatly with the advent of the atomic age. Cost of weapons also has been troublesome, not only today when an airplane can cost more than $100 million, but also in the old days. On one occasion President Calvin Coolidge is said to have asked why the Army and Navy could not share an aircraft and take turns flying it after both services had asked for the new machine. The old arguments about how many weapons are too many and the costs of defense systems are very much in the minds of Americans these days as the nation discusses the merits and demerits of B-- l bombers, cruise missiles and now the neutron bomb. Recently, President Carter decided to stress the cruise missile program when he concluded that the cost of the l bomber was excessive. B-- And now Congress and American people are debating the Pentagons decision to deploy the neutron bombs, which kill mostly by radiation instead of by fallout, concussion and heat. Stripping away the emotionalism, those who would put the neutron bomb into mothballs make the following arguments: Its an inhumane weapon because it kills people but leaves property relatively unscathed. 1. 2. A president would be more likely to order the use of the neutron weapon because it is precise and would not invite retaliation by nuclear intercontinental missiles and an all-out war. 3. Short of a total nuclear war, use of a neutron bomb would invite battlefield retaliation from an enemy, with bombs that might be atomically dirtier. Deployment of the neutron bomb would simply add to existing nuclear overkill capabilities in the world and set back diplomatic efforts to reduce doomsday armament levels. BY John Prince 4. These are serious and thoughtful concerns that cannot be dismissed lightly. Our responses to them are: weapon intended to kill another human is humane; its all a matter of degree. The neutron bomb is smaller than the present tactical nuclear weapons deployed in West Europe. Responsibly used, the neutron weapons would probably kill fewer innocent people than the present weapons. And we dont scoff at those who try to save property. Not the least of the hardships endured during a war is the lack of transportation, housing, utilities and jobs. 1. No 2. The purpose of American defense it to deter the enemy, not our own President. If we dont believe that the United States will not start a war, and if we dont have faith in our leaders and institutions, then we may be facing a danger greater than the threat of atomic war. 3. We dont doubt that the Warsaw Pact troops could have a neutron bomb or a dirtier one or that they might use it if they dared. The idea is to make the risk of using such weapons too great for the enemy to take. 4. All arguments are based on the premise that mass and volume are substitutes for precision and sophistication. Henry Kissinger once asked: For Gods sake, what do He and you do with strategic superiority? many others make good arguments that there will never be a deliberate strategic nuclear war because the consequences are too terrible. But we havent ever heard anybody suggest that there will never be another war. overkill The problem with a column is it is based on the assumption one has something brilliant to say on a regular basis. Every two weeks in my case. So, let me say at the start of this, nothing Im about to say will be of great importance. At least I dont think it will. In truth Ill be just as surprised to see where this goes as you will. In short, if you have something better to do dont let me interupt you. If you do have time lets just talk for a moment. Get a cup relax. of coffee suggested in a column a few weeks ago that there are a fair amount of jerks in this world. I This shouldnt come as a great shock but youve been told If you give the differently by the politicians for years. American people the facts, they keep telling us, will make the right decisions. Garbage! then they Let me give you a better example: The oil we are bringing down from Alaska is most badly needed in the eastern part of this country. The problem of course is it wont be easy to get it there. So, someone suggested it would make great economic sense to sell some of the Alaskan oil to Japan. We could then use the money to buy oil delivered to the east coast. The net result would be the same amount of oil delivered where we really need it. So why dont we do it? Because President Carter knows he is dealing with a bunch of dummies. He knows Americans wont believe there is a real shortage once they get the word that we are selling oil to Japan. He also knows the same people who keep Welcome Back Kotter on prime time television couldnt possibly take the time to understand the problem. So, we are forced to deal with a real problem in an inefficient way simply because the American people wont take the time to read or think. What better example of the general lack of character in the country do we have than the recent events in New York? Right and wrong have become such fuzzy concepts that many of the looters were happy to be interviewed on radio and television. Christmas in July they called it. Then they gave us the same old story about being ripped off by the rich and all that. here they were standing in front of stores they had tom to pieces and telling us how they had been ripped off! I mean And if that's not enough, we are all walking around buying their story. Some of us are that is. Im not. I hope they throw the book at the 35,000 or so they caught. I said right and wrong have become fuzzy concepts. the criminals who have lost sight of it. Its not just The judges arent showing much backbone either. Did you happen to read the Wall Street Journal the other day when they talked about crime in Singapore? It seems they use the rotan there. The rotan is a little stick and when you get convicted of a crime over there you get a few strokes. Some crimes get you one or two strokes, others get 10 or 15. Apparently it hurts like hell, leaves scars for life, and leaves a lasting impression. I dont want this to come as a shock to all of you studying criminology at the University, but the rate of crime dropped rather dramatically when they started using the rotan in earnest. Of course we could never do anything so cruel in this country. We'd rather have even more innocent victims suffer than really punish a criminal. promised not to take too much of your time. appreciate the company. Treasure your sanity. Anyway, I I |