ABM Treaty Saddam Hussein's massive secret effort to build atomic bombs, frustrated only by his premature attack on Kuwait and the subsequent U.S. response, is a powerful example of the reason why defense against missiles and the weapons of mass destruction they carry is badly needed. It will not be easy to end the Cold War so perfectly that the world will be transformed, with all nations opposed to any large-scale aggression. Developing defensive weapons in international laboratories open to all would seem to be a more straightforward procedure. If that were possible, any danger of a renewed arms race might vanish. Unfortunately, an international defense organization would exceed in clumsiness anything yet experienced in the world, and the clumsiness would be further aggravated by disagreements.
National laboratories are hard enough to manage.
International laboratories need to successfully engage in peaceful scientific pursuits before they can undertake the difficult task of international defense. I believe that success in developing strategic defensive systems requires a plan ambitious enough to be significant, but limited to the extent that it should be feasible. In my opinion, the most essential ingredient is a general policy of openness. Defense laboratories in cooperating countries should remain separate for the time being, but they should continue to exchange information on their purpose and progress, and they should welcome observers from other nations. Most important, there must be mutual understanding on the deployment of defenses so that no one needs to worry about them.