"Jim Oberg" wrote in message ...
Had it gone into orbit, while Reagan was president, it would
likely have sparked a major 'Stars Wars' space military race
with potentially dreadful consequences.

Not bloody likely.

What's more likely that if it did gone up into orbit, the U.S.S.R.
will have the upper hand of military in orbit and there's less chance
of the U.S.S.R. reforming into the C.I.S..

What's also more likely that there's also the chance the U.S.A. and
the U.S.S.R. will cooperate in building up military in orbit, of
course, this assuming that both countries are willing to rebel against
their common master and officialy annouced their cooperation with
world. Considering the last time it almost happen, Kennedy was
assasinated and Kruschev was removed from power.

Then again, maybe the U.S.A. and the U.S.S.R. cooperation might be the
'military race with potentially dreadful consequences' that some
refered to.