BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSE: EVOLUTION OF THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS

The roles played by academicians, strategists, and physical scientists are examined in the decisions leading to an American ballistic missile defense systems. The conclusion of the study is that the expert discussion of issues influenced the form eventually assumed by the Safeguard system. However this discussion did little to influence policy makers in Congress who used parliamentary maneuvering to resolve the l969 debate.