The Forbes Foreign Policy

WASHINGTON, D.C.: Proving that his is not a one-issue candidacy, presidential contender Steve Forbes gave Ted Koppel a glimpse of his foreign policy on ABC's "Night Line" Wednesday. Forbes suggested that the United States stop the arms-control talks known as START II, and allow Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic into NATO. He added that he was not in favor of sending American peacekeepers to the Golan Heights. But it was his statement suggesting that the U.S. move "ahead with a sensible anti-ballistic missile defense system" that may invite more snickering from his opponents. The multi-billion-dollar "Star Wars" system, championed by Ronald Reagan, was derided by Democrats and eventually abandoned by most Republicans as too costly and ineffective. But it lives on in the hearts of defense contractors. "In fact, Star Wars never died," says TIME's Mark Thompson. "It went from butterfly to moth to larva to caterpillar; which means, basically, from weapons in space to weapons on the ground. And the Pentagon now talks about putting some sensors in space, creating a "thin" system that could stop five or ten missiles but not thwart a massive attack." Thompson says that Forbes may not be taking a big political risk in speaking up for some sort of anti-ballistic missile system. "Polls show that, depending on how you ask the question, Americans are concerned when they find out that we can't do anything if someone fires a missile at us. So Forbes may be appealing to his primary audience with this. A lot of people want some kind of protection."