ABSTRACT
Unfortunately, our past reliance upon massive retaliation has stultifi ed the development of new policy. We have developed what Henry Kissinger has called a Maginot-line mentality-dependence upon a strategy which may collapse or may never be used, but which meanwhile prevents the consideration of any alternative. When that prop is gone, the alternative seems to many to be inaction and acceptance of the inevitability of defeat. Aft er all, once the Soviets have the power to destroy us, we have no way of absolutely preventing them from doing so. But every nation, whatever its status, needs a strategy. Some courses of action are always preferable to others; and there are alternatives to all-out war or inaction.
