Correspondence
nor any member of his administration has about the moral content and military...
...Catholic Periodical Index, Index of American shield" for population centers, or at least Mr...
...He freely grants - in contrast to the message of the famous rainbow televi- Biblical Institute sion cartoon - that SDI can provide no 21st Biblical Institute, Trinity College, Bur"impenetrable shield," and says I "rat- lington, VT 05401, June 15-20, 1986...
...So Mr...
...Personal/Convalescent use...
...As much as targets should deterrence fail under the truth is that Mr...
...It has been so from the in the "Nuclear Era" long before Mr...
...to grind...
...In essence these ministers, priests, terminal phase defenses...
...Russett states that the objective of continued reliance on a strategy of nu- Order or by check on a U.S...
...monthly in advance for more demand the restructuring of U.S...
...COMMONWEAL, 232 ing policy...
...tion, and that if such defenses prove feas- and still-vulnerable cities...
...be built on anything less than truth...
...He adds only his own sneers about quotes are Russett's...
...Bryan Hehir is senior research Lt...
...I had noted that...
...For more information: non-nuclear defenses is morally superior reinforce rather than replace MAD, by Anthony Ciccariello to continued reliance on nuclear destruc- strengthening incentives to target soft 520 W. Gray St...
...I also know Correspondence dent's March 23, 1983 speech clearly that as early as February 1980 he was i states, the prime objective of SDI is to much interested in the alternative to deshift our strategy away from Mutual As- terrence through threat of nuclear vensured Destruction (in which deterrence of geance, an alternative which non-nuclear Canadian benefits...
...SDI as a "non-nuclear" defense, ignorThousands of clergymen of all faiths ing the plans for nuclear-explosionhave signed a declaration of support for driven X-ray lasers and nuclear-armed THE COMPANY AT SDI...
...BRUCE M. RUSSETT stroyed the notion that the nuclear freeze (Continued from page 363) movement held the moral high ground...
...Russett parrots all the anti-SDI arexposed the false dilemma posed by the guments presented by the Soviet Church/world watch "Freeze or Fry" slogan, and utterly de- Union...
...foreign, $33...
...As the presi- anity of the MAD doctrine...
...Yearly subscriptions, misstatements of fact...
...dollars by International Money Mr...
...No nuclear option - deterrence through vengeance, The superiority of SDI weapon landing on America is the only or MAD...
...Second-class postage paid at New York, N.Y...
...Further, SDI would stop Christmas-New Year's and July and August, by Commonweal Foundation, 232 Madison Ave., "Star-Wars: A Moral Mirage," is re- nuclear missiles from striking us even if New York, N.Y...
...Russell's pastoral letter, also showed how SDI thing, then it is that no lasting peace can ill-disguised fury at the concept of non- would "celestialize" MAD...
...the U.S...
...J. BRYAN HEHIR DANIEL 0. GRAHAM Hour cassette: $6.50...
...Write: Sister functioning society, or worse...
...acceptable" level, and SDI is designed cause it protects the innocent instead of To the Editors: I read in the 11 April issue to give us the best possible assurance that (Continued on page 383) one of the most erroneous and biased there will be no nuclear war at all, a far ommonweal, 11SSN 0010-33301 A Review of articles on SDI I have ever encountered better deterrent than the mere threat to Public Affairs, Religion, Literature, and the Arts, - and I am obliged to read all such slaughter Soviet citizens entailed by the is published biweekly, except monthly tirades...
...They would destroy us as a Fuller, Joseph Cunneen...
...JORDAN BISHOP view of "acceptable damage" (the Press...
...The public will not tolerate warheads as the Reagan administration gers," published by the Soviet Military this...
...Russett was part of that movement, U.S...
...Wait list only...
...Russett rattles on about the dam- the technology of defensive weapons - I might add that since the piece was age that would be done by 161 nuclear a strange position, since they seemed to written, U.S...
...Classified difference requires further changes in Mr...
...It is they who insist on 100 per- Further, the bishops were each profishermen), some general (such as un- cent effective defenses or no defense at vided a copy of the essentials of the SDI employment insurance and Canada's all, mainly because perfection is such an concept well before the pastoral letter universal health and medical insurance easy straw man for them to criticize...
...bishops were not capable of dealing with from the printed version...
...Special two-year rate: U.S., $49...
...primarily a function of non-nuclear self...
...Reagan called for SDI in response to Review Index...
...I can only hope third country...
...64¢, six times...
...But these cler- ing that, on the contrary, SDI would bear inward/outward journeys cutting across all gymen properly insist that pursuit of all the moral burdens of MAD...
...on the pastoral letter...
...In brief, Nye has joined ethics and One can only hope that the bishops get Cassettes strategy in a way which guarantees that a less-biased and more knowledgeable ethicists, strategists, citizens, and "principal consultant" next time around Biblical Meditation Songs...
...This dread possibility can- U.S., $28...
...nor any member of his administration has about the moral content and military incalled for a perfect defense...
...My article was devoted to show- ment to worship, support and stimulate in this technical dispute...
...Canada, $30...
...Join us in our 10 year experiissue, and the signers assume no expertise MAD...
...Nonsense...
...And was published...
...bank...
...tle on" about the damage done to popula- Faculty: Donald Senior, Carolyn Osiek, tion centers by only 161 warheads...
...Original...
...tial aggressor...
...Crosstones, Box (J...
...The president's SDI program "Mr...
...Madison Ave., NYC 10016...
...884002, Walled Lake, Ml 48088...
...I sup- Roland Murphy, Bruce Metzger, Reginald pose I do...
...the nuclear freeze movement...
...Reagan in Commonweal, 232 Madison Ave., New York, This is nonsense...
...Still the ible the United States is morally obliged issue of The New Republic, Leon Wieselauthors are convinced that "if history, to adopt them...
...POSTMASTER: Send address changes to siles...
...I Foundation...
...target- most everyone who has no political axe than three times...
...It would boundaries...
...Russett parrots all the many elements of the Canadian MAD doctrine - a condition he would anti-SDI arguments presented by the bourgeoisie might desire it, Canadian so- perpetuate by his arguments...
...We are talking on Safeguarding the Creation about nuclear war, not a shooting gallery at Correspondence score where all but 161 out of 10,000 Dayspring Retreat Center looks great...
...I know beSydney,-Nova ' Scotia geance) to a strategy in which deterrence cause I briefed him on the concept myTo the Editors: There is a small but fairly is...
...nuclear defense reflects the general dis- Most readers will appreciate the subP.S...
...All Canadian and foreign subscriptions must than intellectual dishonesty...
...Neither Mr...
...Continued from page 354) Graham provides a benign image of August 15-17, 1986 -~jthreatening their obliteration...
...strategy...
...Reagan 1976 that he was even then concerned N. Y. 10016 Commonweal: 354 the face of war and violence...
...Single copy, $1.50...
...I am glad Miriam Ward...
...680, three view of non-combatant immunity than for arguments against an effort which times...
...tier, no particular friend of-the bishops' philosophy, and theology teach us any- I can only surmise that Mr...
...And then he Soviet Union in its slick propaganda cial programs will not be subject to has the audacity to describe 161 piece, "Star Wars: Delusions and Dannegotiation...
...Contact brief reply (and only a brief one...
...Canada, $53...
...KIRKRIDGE and rabbis note that technological argu- My "fury" is directed precisely at the Celebrating our 10th year ments abound, pro and con, on the SDI pretense that SDI is morally superior to Are you looking for a way to be yourself & still be Church...
...I hold a more absolute and now joins it again in groping wildly RATES: 75¢ a word, one time...
...Russett and company attempted to press industry, for example, cited literally The "perfect defense" demand comes our Catholic bishops into the service of dozens of Canadian programs, some from the opponents of SDI such as Mr...
...foreign, that this is the result of ignorance rather not be countered by any other approach $59...
...he does not consider that "acceptable damage," and I did not say the Reagan AL FRITSCH, S.J...
...specific (such as easy-term loans to Russett...
...administration did either...
...Reagan was concerned important misprint in my article "Forgot- defenses which deny success to a poten- about the morality of our military posture ten Partner," May 23...
...He doesn't bother to com- their effects...
...Gen., USA (Ret...
...Ambassador Thomas Niles warheads (out of 10,000 launched) consider themselves capable of technical has insisted that Canada's social pro- should deterrence fail with an SDI sys- judgments about offensive weapons and grams are not threatened by free trade tem in place...
...Modern/ policymakers will have to read his book...
...war depends entirely on nuclear ven- space defense would provide...
...SDI is morally superior beWashington, D.C...
...Copyright © 1986 Commonweal their emphasis" to protecting only mis- the bishops' pastoral letter...
...Mr...
...fishing start and remains so today...
...there is irony, if not outright hypocrisy Cardinal Bernardin to at least consider Unemployment and health insurance here, because these same critics obvi- the concept of non-nuclear defenses in programs are not, of course, specific to ously never insist on perfection in arms that letter...
...not arms control, and certainly not by be paid in U.S...
...Commonweal is indexed in Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature, SDI is to acquire an "impenetrable clear vengeance...
...negotiator Peter Mur- pare that with the damage done by the These are but a few of the blatant misphy has most emphatically stated that 10,000 warheads which would hit their statements in the Russett article.The they are...
...Washington, D.C...
...Russett tries to make the case that Periodical Verse, Book Review Digest and Book it was until the administration "shifted Mr...
...Bruce Russett's piece, MAD doctrine...
...spiritual growth and Christian ministry General Graham's letter deserves a rooted in critical social analysis...
...Classified payable Nye, but his proposal is radical enough to makes common and ethical sense to al- with order...
...Gary Martinez, Box 105, Hico, WV 25854...
...Telephone: (212) MU plete with illogical reasoning and flat fired by mistake, or by a fanatic in some 3-2042...
...In the May 12 Elmira, NY 14905 20 June 1986: 383...
...He demurred, saying the the fishing industry, as might be implied control agreements...
...No such argument the superior morality of SDI over his has ever been put forward...
...scholar at the Kennedy Institute of Director, High Frontier Religious Community Ethics and research professor of ethics and international politics at the School Community living emphasizing individual The author replies: of Foreign Service at Georgetown...
...know as an advisor to Mr...
...I personally pleaded with programs...
...10016...
...may and disarray in the nuclear freeze tlety of General Graham's statement that movement...
...Niles is right...
...talks, while U.S...
Vol. 113 • June 1986 • No. 12
