While most people remember Robert McNamara for his role during the Vietnam War, McNamara spoke last Wednesday about the need to limit weapons of mass destruction and prevent the future deaths that they can cause.
McNamara, the secretary of defense during the Kennedy and Johnson administrations, was the key architect of the Vietnam War, which he has since regretted.
He spoke about his new book, Wilson's Ghost: Reducing the Risk of Conflict, Killing and Catastrophe in the 21st Century, written with Brown University International Relations professor James Blight.
According to the book, wars and conflicts resulted in the deaths of 160 million people during the 20th century, and is projected to claim the lives of many more in the 21st century, even without the use of nuclear weapons.
"This century will witness the deaths of over 300 million people... but the number will only be that low if weapons of mass destruction aren't used," Blight said.
Blight urged the United States to take an active role in preventing further instances of domestic strife in other nations, yet he argued that the U.S. was ill-prepared to take on the challenges.
"The United States of America is the only country in the world right now that has projectable military power... yet we are the people in the world least prepared to understand these kinds of conflicts because we haven't had one for 150 years," Blight said, referring to the Civil War.
After Blight spoke, McNamara made an animated speech, often times banging his hand against the podium in front of an audience of over 200, most of them professionals, at the Union League downtown.
McNamara spoke on the dangers of nuclear weapons, using the Cuban Missile Crisis as an example. It was not until the fall of the Soviet Union that the U.S. found out that 160 nuclear weapons were stationed on Cuba, far more than the U.S. originally thought.
He also said that it was only a month ago in Russia, during a showing of Thirteen Days -- a movie about the Cuban missile crisis -- that the U.S. found out that the Soviet Union had nuclear armed submarines within striking range of the U.S. A former Russian submarine commander disclosed this information at the showing.
Declaring that the U.S. "lucked out" during the crisis, McNamara said the U.S. "came within a hair of nuclear war."
Citing the end of the Cold War, McNamara added that there was no need to have nuclear arsenals in the thousands and that "there's risks of accidental use" in maintaining the arsenals.
After the speech, McNamara and Blight both answered questions from the audience.
One of the questions from the audience dealt with McNamara's advice to President Bush on how to deal with Communist China.
McNamara said that the U.S. should have "empathy towards China," and be conciliatory by understanding how China feels towards a superior American force.
The speech was part of a series sponsored by the World Affairs Council to discuss foreign policy in the 21st century.
The Daily Pennsylvanian is an independent, student-run newspaper. Please consider making a donation to support the coverage that shapes the University. Your generosity ensures a future of strong journalism at Penn.
DonatePlease note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.
