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Why Isaac Asimov was against SDI.
Copyright 1985 by Robert J. Sawyer 900 words
All Rights Reserved
"Why Isaac Asimov is Against Reagan's Star Wars"
by Robert J. Sawyer
first published in THE TORONTO STAR
18 August 1985
under the title
"Author Has Harsh Words for Star Wars Plan"
The Strategic Defense Initiative. It's right out of science
fiction: a shield of orbiting ray guns disabling nuclear
missiles. Even the project's nickname, Star Wars, comes from a
science fiction film.
But what do science fiction writers think of Star Wars?
Isaac Asimov is the author of more than 300 books, including the
SF bestsellers FOUNDATION'S EDGE and THE ROBOTS OF DAWN. He
realizes that many SF writers, including several who are also
working scientists, support Star Wars.
"They tend to be the same ones who were in favour of the
Vietnam war," said the former biochemist in his Manhattan
apartment. "Maybe it's because a great deal of hard science is
sponsored by the Defense Department which, God knows, has more
money than anybody else. Who else would buy ashtrays for $600?"
Dr. Asimov, 65, is a severe critic of Star Wars. "I'm
against it, not because I'm a science fiction writer, and
therefore have special knowledge, but because I like to think I'm
a sane human being."
He believes Star Wars is a dangerous waste of money.
"They're talking about spending $33 billion on research related
to Star Wars. We're going to withdraw money from needed aspects
of developing knowledge in order to set up something that
probably won't work and even if it does work, won't do us any
good."
FALSE CONFIDENCE
Part of the problem with Star Wars is that it will take
years to develop. "If I were the Soviet Union, I would have
spent all this time trying to work up methods to penetrate the
shield," said Asimov, who was born in Russia but grew up in New
York. "I have a strong suspicion it would be cheaper to
penetrate the shield than to set it up.
"And if we're in real danger of a nuclear war now, trying to
set up something for the middle of the 21st century isn't going
to do us any good. In fact, by filling us full of false
confidence, we're not going to make a strong enough effort to
prevent war now."
Jerry Pournelle is the most vocal of the SF writers who
favour Star Wars. He is editor of a series of SF anthologies
collectively titled THERE WILL BE WAR.
"The reason Jerry Pournelle is for Star Wars is not because
he's a science fiction writer," said Asimov. "It's because
according to him, he, among others, wrote the speech that Reagan
gave in first advocating Star Wars. He's supporting himself."
Short-term self-interest is at the root of much Star Wars
support, according to Asimov. "Lots of scientists are going to
make a lot of money out of the government involvement, so they
give it a spurious air of scientific value. But purchasing kind
opinions isn't going to make Star Wars any better, saner, or more
sensible.
"There are science fiction writers, notably myself and
Arthur C. Clarke, who were anti-Vietnam and are anti-Star Wars,"
said Asimov.
Clarke, the author of 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY was born in
England and lives in Sri Lanka. "Clarke was howled down once by
someone saying as a non-American citizen he had no right to make
comments about Star Wars. That's an extremely stupid remark.
"If you have no right to decry the policy of a country
unless you are a citizen of that country, why the hell is Reagan
always yelling about the Soviet Union? Is he a Soviet citizen?"
A PEACEFUL FUTURE
"Science fiction is riddled with war and weapons of war,"
admitted Asimov. "Just as unhappy endings are more dramatic than
happy ones, suffering and suspense make for more drama than
having it easy.
"But just because a story involves war, doesn't mean it's
pro-war. If you're against war, you have to write a war story
which shows how cruel, wicked and stupid war is."
Asimov's own stories paint a peaceful future. His 19th
science fiction novel, ROBOTS AND EMPIRE, will be published in by
Doubleday in September. "I have as my theme that violence is the
last resort of the incompetent. In other words, a good leader
gets his way without war."
Asimov feels there's more to Ronald Reagan's wanting Star
Wars than just a misguided view of national defence. "If you
render the Soviet Union helpless to attack you, does that mean
you can then dictate to them exactly what they should do to
become a good Republican country?"
He's afraid Reagan desires Star Wars so that he can say,
"`If you don't do what we demand, we're going to smash you with
our entire nuclear armory and you won't be able to respond with a
single bomb.'"
But Asimov knows that America will gain nothing through Star
Wars. "If the Soviet Union can't penetrate Star Wars, all they
have to say is 'Go ahead. Bomb the hell out of us. You'll get
destroyed by the nuclear winter that follows.'"
Dust kicked up by a nuclear war could blot out the light and
heat from the sun, plunging the world into the freezing darkness
of nuclear winter. "I'm convinced nuclear winter is actually
something that will happen," said Asimov. "Unless we're
completely insane, we don't dare take the chance. So what the
hell good is this whole damned thing?"
_______________________
[1994 bionote] Robert J. Sawyer is author of the science fiction
novels GOLDEN FLEECE, FAR-SEER, FOSSIL HUNTER, FOREIGNER, and END
OF AN ERA. He lives in Thornhill, Ontario, and interviewed
Asimov in Asimov's New York home in the summer of 1985.
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