"Ronald Reagan said that he sought a Star Wars defense only in order to share the technology with the tyrants of the U.S.S.R"
- Christopher Hitchens
About this Quote
This quote by Christopher Hitchens is describing Ronald Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), also referred to as the "Star Wars" defense. Reagan proposed the SDI in 1983 as a method to safeguard the United States from nuclear attack. However, Hitchens suggests that Reagan's real objective was to share the innovation with the Soviet Union. This could be seen as a way to minimize tensions between the 2 nations and to produce a more peaceful relationship. It could likewise be viewed as a method to get leverage over the Soviet Union, as the United States would have access to an effective defense system that the Soviets did not. Ultimately, Hitchens' analysis of Reagan's motives is that he wanted to utilize the SDI to produce a more well balanced relationship between the 2 countries.
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