WORLD

Star Wars destroys arms treaties

By NESTOR GARCIA ITURBE .
On March 23, 1983, U.S. President
Ronald Reagan gave a television speech
that started the world on what may well
be one of the most serious dangers to
human existence. His words material-
ized two days later when he gave the
presidential green light for the strategic
defence program popularly known as
“*Star Wars.”’
On the pretext of developing a defence
system enabling any danger of nuclear
attack on the United States to be elimi-

nated in outer space, the idea is to take ~

into this new battlefield the most sophisti-
cated and technologically advanced an-
tiballistic system based on the use of laser
rays.

The United States’ attempts to put
such an antiballistic system into orbit are
in complete disregard for the inter-
national community which, in numerous
documents and treaties, has expressed
total opposition to the use of outer space
for militaristic purposes and much less
for the development of nuclear weapons.

On October 17, 1963, the UN General
Assembly adopted a resolution on this
issue. In the 1967 treaty on the principles
governing states’ exploration and utiliza-
tion of outer space, including the moon
and other celestial bodies (January 27,
London, Moscow, Washington), the sig-
natories were forbidden to place in orbit
any type of carrier of nuclear arms or
other type of mass-destruction weapon.

In 1972, the United States and the
Soviet Union signed a treaty on the
limitation of antiballistic missile systems.
Article 5 in this treaty prohibits the
developing, testing and deployment of
such systems in space.

The 36th UN General Assembly, held
in 1981, passed Resolution No. 36/99,
calling for the signing of a treaty banning
the deployment of any type of weapon in
space. The resolution was passed with
138 votes in its favor, seven abstention:
and only one vote — the United States —
against.

Components of the Attack System

The theory of the attack system for
‘“‘Star Wars”’ is based on the develop-
ment of a whole series of weapons de-
ployed in space to support the U.S. bal-
listic missile system in an attack on the

Soviet Union and other countries of the

socialist community.

The project for placing a space station
in orbit plays a major role in the system.
The cost of the project, being undertake
by the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA), is expected to
run to $8-billion by the time the first
space Station goes into operation. To
give an idea of how much the cost will
run to when the system goes into orbit,
suffice it to say that Air Force magazine
place the figure at over $300-billion.

Orbital stations will actually be mili-
tary bases with data processing and con-
trol equipment for the entire space com-
plex; they will also handle repairs and
maintenance, as well as fuel supplies. °

Another type of orbital station will act
as a carrier for the antiballistic system
(ABM) based on laser rays.

The PMALS project (Prototype
Miniature Air-Launched System) also is
a weapon especially designed to be de-
ployed in space. It consists of a highly
computerized satellite with eight infrared
telescopes and 56 small missiles.

Work is also being done on a new anti-

satellite system (ASAT), for which the

first test, consisting of a rocket launching
from an F-15 plane, has already been
made. The rocket carries infrared sen-
sors for detecting the target. It can be
launched from the outer layers of the
atmosphere and travel at a speed of
30,681 miles per hour. This means it can

8 e PACIFIC TRIBUNE, OCTOBER 24, 1984

reach any type of satellite, for even the
very latest have a speed of only 23,000
miles per hour.

A very important feature in the system
is a satellite series for obtaining intelli-
gence information and maintaining
communications for the functioning of
the overall system. The United States’
armed forces have over 40 of these.
satellites.

The DSCS (Defence Satellite Com-
munications System), composed of four
satellites, provides communication be-
tween 27 military command posts and
transmits voice, image, and teletype and
computer signals.

The U.S. navy has its own system,
consisting of five 23-channel satellites.
Ten of these channels are used by the
navy, 12 by the air force, and one by
either the president or the defence
secretary. ‘

Another system, also equipped with
infrared sensory equipment, is the Vela,
composed of two satellites for detecting
nuclear explosions and reporting on their
effects to the Space Command in Col-
orado Springs.

Some satellites can monitor telephone
calls and satellite transmissions and pin-
point the location of radar stations. It is
estimated that the National Security
Agency (NSA) has four or five of these
satellites in orbit.

The NAVSTAR system is designed to
measure earth gravity and its effects on
the trajectory of intercontinental ballistic
missiles.

The space shuttle plays a major role in
the system. It is designed to repair satel-
lites, install orbital stations and carry into
space laser ray weapons, the fuel neces-
sary for the operation of the system and
the personnel for the stations. The space
shuttle will be widely used for military

purposes, and it is expected that by 1986
it will have carried out 13 of the 114 mili-
tary missions assigned to it by the Penta-
gon through 1994.

The space shuttle plays
a major role in the system.
It is designed to repair
satellites, install orbital
stations and carry into
space laser ray weapons,
the fuel necessary for the
cperation of the system
and the personnel for the
stations. The space shuttle
will be widely used for

military purposes, and it is -

expected that by 1986 it will
have carried out 13 of the
114 military missions
assigned to it by the
Pentagon through 1994.

The ‘‘new frontier’’, the arms buildup
in space, represents an incalculable
source of income for the big companies,
especially those of the aerospace
industry.

The 1984 budget earmarked for mili-
tary operations in space will run to $8.5-
billion, and it is expected that in 1988 it
will run to $14-billion.

First Strike Strategy
Referring to the ‘‘Star Wars’’ technol-

ogy that was needed, Robert Bowman.
former head of the U.S. Air Force aa
vanced Space Programs and cu
head of the Space and Security

. “
treaties; all are extremely valnerabledl all
are exposed to a great variety of
countermeasures; all can be rendered —
useless by incoming missiles and, there-
fore, might serve to encourage an jp-
creased number of attack weapons; all
can be more effective, if and when used,
as part of a first nuclear strike than to
guard against one; and, what is most im-
portant, all will be extremely destabiliz-
ing and may well unleash the nuclear war
both parties have been trying to avoid. —

Massachusetts Senator Edward Ken-
nedy charged President Reagan with
using deceitful tactics based on a fear of -
‘communism and using ‘‘Star Wars”
schemes to back Pentagon expenditure.

In spite of a strong international _
movement opposing the dangers of a
nuclear war that would wipe out human —
life on earth, the U.S. government’s war —
policy continues unabated. A National —
Security Council document calls for U.S.
strategic forces to be sufficiently pre
pared to win a nuclear war. |

‘*Star Wars’”’ is part of sucha strategy; ;
it is the preparatory step for first strike —
while at the same time making ready to
counter in outer space the inevitable re-
sponse. Logically, sucha policy compels -

- other nuclear powers, whose economic —
and_ technological development can
match U.S. achievements in these fields,
to be prepared by developing their own —
systems, and this can only result ee

growing danger ofa nuclear war bre
out. Granma
abridged

By FILS DELISLE

The GDR and Finland will work to-
gether for measures designed to bring
about an East-West dialogue, effective
disarmament, coexistence and peace.
This is the joint stand enunciated this
past week by Finnish president Maino
Koivisto and GDR State Council
chairman Erich Honecker in private
consultations and public addresses in
Helsinki.

In the course of a state visit to Fin-
land at the invitation of the president,
Erich Honecker declared: ‘‘The talks of
our delegations showed that the GDR
and Finland have extensive agreement
or very similar views on the main ques-
tions in the international situation.”

President Koivisto, praising the
GDR for its record of progress, cited
the relations between the two countries
as an example of the mutual benefits to
be derived from coexistence between
states with different social systems. He
said: ‘‘The relations between Finland
and the German Democratic Republic

trust. We are in a close relationship, as
equal states.”’

At a banquet in his honor, Honecker
pointed out that the world situation had
deteriorated disastrously, but that it
could be reversed if all the peace forces
united their collective strength in the
struggle against those pushing arma-
ments and confrontation. The crisis had
been made more acute by the deploy-
ment of new U.S. nuclear missiles in
Western Europe, but if these were now
withdrawn and not replaced, the mis-

have been stabilized on a good basis of

Finland-GDR cement ties —

siles stationed in response in the GDR
and Czechoslovakia would also be
withdrawn. Mistrust would be reduced
and favorable conditions for new
negotiations on nuclear weapons would
arise.

Honecker also proposed: pledges by
the nuclear powers, following the
Soviet example, not to engage in a first
nuclear strike; the creating of nuclear
free zones in various parts of Europe;
the reaching of an agreement between
the powers not to be first in the use of
military violence; abandonment of at-
tempts to achieve military superiority
over others.

President Koivisto agreed that
disarmament had to be a part of the
peace process. He declared: “‘The ar-
maments race does not strengthen real
security and makes more difficult the

GDR’s Erich Honecker and Finnish president Maine Kolvish announced joint plans |

to promote peace in Europe.

solution of the central problems which _
are important for the development of |.
mankind. Finland believes that military |
security on our continent must be |
guaranteed on a substantially lower |
level of armaments. Security can only |
be guaranteed by those effective mea- |
sures which lead especially to the limit-
ing and reduction of nuclear weapons.”
Koivisto supported the concept of a —
northern European zone free of nuclear
weapons. He joined the Honecker in
stressing the positive role for peace the |
current Stockholm continuation of the ~-|
original Helsinki Security Conference |
could play. Finland, he said, was work- |
ing for all-European agreements on |
peace and security at Stockholm that |
would be acceptable to all participants |
and would strengthen peace in the |
world. a