The Safeguard Battle

In the continuing controversy over the Safeguard anti-ballistic missile system, the Administration is embarrassed by lagging support in Congress and in the country. Representing the White House, Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird refuses to settle for anything less than Safeguard, arguing that it is the "minimal step necessary at this time to ensure the security of the American people." But on Capitol Hill the Nixon ABM proposal is faced with diminished backing and is undermining Republican solidarity. There is concern among Nixon advisers that the President could suffer his first defeat this month when ABM comes to a vote in the Senate. Opponents now claim to have a majority.

Ignoring pressure to compromise, Laird took to the road last week with a hard line ABM argument. He told a group of newspaper editors in Florida that, "based on the best information available to me," the Soviets will have 2,500 long-range missiles by 1975. By contrast, he said, the U.S. now has 1,054 iCBMs and at present no more are programmed for the next five years.

In Norfolk, Va., Laird dismissed reports that the Administration is considering the face-saving compromise of proposing another year of research and development. Senate Republicans who oppose Nixon's ABM plan want the Administration to begin strategic arms talks with the Russians, then use this as an excuse to delay construction of ABM sites.

Skeptical Mood. On Capitol Hill, opponents of ABM claimed last week that their mail was running heavily against Safeguard. There was a growing mood of skepticism about military spending in general, and a fear that the $7 billion ABM system might lead to further acceleration of the arms race.

The Senate Armed Services Committee held an opening hearing--in itself an extraordinary event--in which eight scientists presented now familiar supporting and opposing views on ABM.

Proponents argued that in an attack the ABM umbrella would protect enough ICBMs from destruction to allow the U.S. to retaliate.

But those against Safeguard countered that in seven years, by the time it is fully developed, the system may well be obsolete. Moreover, it can never be tested because of the 1963 Test Ban Treaty. They argued further that if Russia ever launched a massive saturation strike on U.S. second-strike missile sites, the proposed Safeguard system would be capable of stopping only an insignificant number of incoming ICBMs.

Faced with defections in his own party, including at least half of the normally loyal freshman Republican Senators, Nixon must now decide on a future course. If he chooses to press the fight, he may take the issue to the people via prime-time television.

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