Physics and National Security: Of Missiles, Mines, and Morality

It was sadly ironic that the true millennium ended with the special issue of Physics Today (December 2000) featuring contributions on future challenges for physics and technology in warfare. Sidney Drell says that “history teaches us that new technologies have had a major influence on the structure, tactics, and strategies of military forces, and that technological advantage can prove decisive to the outcome of military conflicts.” Although military battles clearly may be won with technology, history shows that military forces with extraordinary technological and economic advantages do little to end mankind’s fundamental conflicts and that arms and violence beget arms and violence; consider, for example, the conflicts in the Middle East, Ireland, Chechnya, Sri Lanka, Yugoslavia, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Africa—and even the failed high-tech “war on drugs.” Furthermore, history shows that the true end of conflict comes with interdependence, communication, education, and economic prosperity. These are not the present objectives of our national defense budget.

The continuing overwhelming focus on weapons and military technology ignores history and prevents interdependence. The cell phone and Internet will likely do far more to ensure future peace than any gadgets developed at seemingly unlimited expense by scientists working on secret defense projects. The biggest contributions that the scientific community can make for world peace are to encourage young scientists and engineers to shun military work; to focus on the challenges in energy, civilian communication, and the environment; and to promote leaders who recognize these priorities.