Most of the debate over the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) has focused on a narrow view of the strategic balance. In the more dramatic variant, strategic defences attempt to protect cities against a concentrated attack on populations. In the more conservative variant, defence is of the US retaliatory 'second strike capability' to assure deterrence against a counterforce first strike. In neither case is there much consideration of the interactions between strategic forces, defensive or offensive, and the broader military problems of deterring attack on NATO, most importantly a theatre attack in Europe. This Paper attempts to consider the role of strategic defence specifically in that broader context.

"Autumn 1987." Adelphi Paper 225. PDF is available via the Library's subscription to Infomaworld: www.informaworld.com

Introduction--I. The strategic impact of technological developments: a cautionary tale--II. The evolution of strategic objectives--III. The three faces of MAD --IV. MAD, the threatre threat and ATBM--V. Strategic defences and the theatre perspective--Conclusions.