If the present White House leadership runs the gauntlet of common sense and the people's will for peace and challenges us by starting MX missile deployment, then the Soviet Union will respond by deploying a new intercontinental ballistic missile of the same class, with its characteristics in no way inferior to those of the MX.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- If the US proceeds with missile deployment, the USSR will respond by deploying an equal weapon system.
- In plain terms
- The Soviets will match US missile deployments exactly.
- What can you take from it?
- Expect military actions to provoke equivalent responses.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Does matching weapons prevent war?
- Is deterrence effective?
Another view
Modern non-nuclear threats might not follow this symmetry.
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