Jurgen Scheffran

About the author: Jurgen Scheffran is a physicist at the Technical University Darmstadt, Germany, and is a cofounder of the International Network of Engineers and Scientists Against Proliferation (INESAP).

Ballistic missiles are costly and destabilizing weapons. Instead of attempting to create a technological defense system against them, the United States should work with other nations to eliminate such missiles through international disarmament agreements. America should begin with a moratorium on all testing and deployment of ballistic missiles and missile defense systems.

More than 15 years ago, in spring 1985, I had the opportunity to attend a meeting on the US Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) near Munich in South Germany. Among the participants were several German officials, and as a representative of the US administration Paul Nitze was connected to part of the...