Anderson discusses a missile defense system and its implications, President Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI). Describing the status quo mutually-assured-destruction policy, he notes this is dependent upon enemies' trust in the good judgment of the other. He recalls Reagan's success in getting agreements with the Soviet Union to reduce the amount of nuclear weapons, saying this was dependent upon the military build up and the idea of SDI. Citing the possibility of an accidentally launched nuclear weapon, believing this would be more likely from countries other than America, he believes SDI is a protection against accidents of this kind. Anderson further notes that it is not possible to defend against a simultaneous launch of several missiles, but the country should be able to protect itself against a small amount of missiles. He details how the technology is already here and believes the country should use and refine it.

Anderson was a senior fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University, 1971-2015.