Sidney Drell is a theoretical physicist and arms control expert who was a member of, or consultant to, a number of governmental boards and councils, including the National Security Council. He begins the interview with some reactions to the Star Wars speech of 1983, acknowledging that numerous technological developments in the 1970s justified the admin's focus on nuclear defense. He discusses the concept of Mutual Assured Destruction and whether technology can help provide adequately for nuclear security. In his opinion nuclear arms are more significant as political tools than military ones. He offers some insights into the development of the ABM system and potential countermeasures against him, then goes into detail in assessing the SDI idea, as well as the arguments put forward by those with other opinions, concluding that not enough time has passed to make a judgment as to whether an effective nationwide defense system is feasible. In his view, the solution for the United States is not just to develop new technologies but to determine the right mix of diplomacy and technology to "make the world safer." He does not believe that an early version of SDI will make much difference because the Soviets are already effectively deterred from attacking. He provides an assessment of the reasons behind Reagan's about-face on nuclear issues, then responds to the allegation that the Russians cannot be trusted by saying that arms control treaties do not depend on trust but on verification. He ends with some thoughts about how the Reagan period will be viewed in 50 years' time.
![Interview with Kenneth Nichols, 1986 [3]](https://bpldcassets.blob.core.windows.net/derivatives/metadata/commonwealth-oai:4t64jk385/image_thumbnail_300.jpg)
