European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 12, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday May 12, 1992 the stars and stripes a Page 5laser project zapped from ski budget Washington apr the a Ray laser the death beam weapon that gave president Reagan a 1983 strategic defense initiative its a Star wars nickname is officially dead after years of research and hundreds of millions of dollars of investment. A Ray lasers powered by Hydrogen bomb explosions in space that would Flash intense beams of Light across hundreds of Miles were envisioned by their promoters As the ultimate weapon against a soviet nuclear missile attack. No a Ray laser weapon Ever was produced nor was its feasibility Ever established. The once secret project began heading toward extinction in the late 1980s. The ski organization the Pentagon Agency that runs the program has informed Congress that it will request no Money for research on the a Ray laser and related projects in 1993. Other less exotic ski work will continue. The ski office made no announcement of its decision to drop support for what it Calls a nuclear directed Energy weapons but an official confirmed that the defense departments $5 million investment this year was the last one  probably the end of ski investment in it a said maj. Carolyn Channave a spokeswoman for the ski organization. The organization has spent $131 million on nuclear directed Energy since ski was created in 1985, according to its records. Most of the Money came from the Energy department whose Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California was working on the a Ray laser years before ski was created. The Energy department said that it spent $1.69 billion on nuclear directed Energy Between 1985 and 1992, but that it could not provide a figure for the a Ray laser alone because the sum is classified. The Peak year for . Investment in nuclear i Zapor ent $317 million. 991 and $67 million this year. In 1990, the Congress ended nuclear directed Energy financing As a separate item in the Energy departments budget but the department continue the work on a smaller scale by using general research funds. Even with Sdit a decision to drop the project the Energy department apparently will continue pursuing it but with no intention of developing it into an Odi weapon. In its 1993 budget request to Congress the department said rented Energy Wear Ems was 1987, when the Energy de it fell to $90.7 million in a a greatly reduced a Ray laser program would be aimed at avoiding a technological surprised a an apparent reference to potential advances by russian scientists. Joanna Stancil of the Energy department said no officials were available to discuss the implications of the Pentagon a decision to end support for the a Ray laser. The Basic idea of the a Ray laser was to use the enormously destructive Energy released in a Hydrogen bomb explosion to drive intense beams of Light at soviet ballistic missiles. The a Ray laser itself was seen As operating from a a Battle station in space or from a submarine and would be popped into space in times of crisis. In his Book tellers War author William j. Broad wrote that the physicist Edward Teller oversold the a Ray lasers potential to the White House in the Early 1980s. Teller also claimed that the lasers potential could be proved by the end of the 1980s. Broad cited a december 1984 letter from Teller then director emeritus at the Livermore lab to presidential arms control adviser Paul Nitze. Teller wrote that a single a Ray laser weapon a could potentially shoot Down the entire soviet land based missile Force a a claim that never came close to being substantiated. 10 years ago May 12,1982 a a British warship fired on an Argentine vessel carrying supplies and possibly troops in Falkland sound a narrow stretch of water separating the two main islands in the disputed South Atlantic Colony. The defense ministry said an explosion was heard but there was no evidence that the vessel was hit. 20 year Sago May 12,1972 a an army lieutenant colonel was killed and 13 people were injured when three bombs went off in rapid succession in the v corps Headquarters compound in Frankfurt Germany. 30 years ago May 12,1962 a the laotian defense ministry announced that its crumbling forces were withdrawing from Thouei Sai the last loyalist stronghold left in Northwestern Laos. An official communique said the troops were withdrawing toward the South. 40 years ago May 12,1952 a in Essen West Germany 30,000 communists rioted against the nation s impending military and political Alliance with the free world. One demonstrator was killed and scores were wounded by bullets or clubs when police attempted to break up the crowd. Police said the communists began the shooting. World war50 years ago today 12 may1.9 .4 .2 Germany presses an attack on the Crimea s kerch Peninsula on the Southern soviet front m preparation for a full scale summer olten Sive aimed at the caucasus Oil Fields the soviets renew an Effort to trap German troops near Kharkov. In Burma japanese troops Cross the Salween River and Advance toward Kingtung near the Eastern Border with China former president Carter and his wife Rosalynn introduce Mikhail s. Gorbachev third from left to James t. Laney right president of Emory University As the former soviet president arrives at the Carter Center in Atlanta on  Hopes former republics can reunify in a More just society source 219-1 Days of War w h. Smith a  lib if c. World almanac Book of world u n 13 Hooks Gorp. 1 981 Atlanta a Mikhail s. Gorbachev said sunday that he would like to see the former soviet unions republics reunite As one but with the goal of providing social and economic Freedom to All. People in the now Independent states a fall would like to preserve this our country this vast world which evolved Over centuries a Gorbachev said. A a in a sure that they can eventually make the politicians understand that a he added. Gorbachev spoke with reporters sunday night after meeting with former president Carter and local business executives. The former soviet Leader said he remains dedicated to socialism but believes that it must be accompanied by democracy. A i still believe i am committed to socialism As an idea but my analysis shows that socialism never actually existed in any country a he said. A what we had in our country was not socialism but a Stalin Stic idea that shattered and shackled our country. A to solve these problems we need democracy. We need Freedom political economic Freedom and we need Justice for minorities a he continued. A these Are things that will create a More humane and a More just  Gorbachev who arrived in Atlanta on sunday was to deliver the commencement address at Emory University on monday. But a main purpose of his trip was to Confer with Carter about the think tank the former soviet Leader is opening in Moscow and to seek funding for it from Atlanta a business leaders. Carter a Friend of Gorbachev a since the two met in Moscow in 1987, described his Carter Center at Emory University As a kind of a think tank kind of an academic institutions that addresses world problems in the Way Gorbachev has said he Hopes to. A a he a coming by to look at the Carter Center and try to get some ideas on How he might establish a similar Institute a Carter said. The former soviet Leader Hopes to raise $3 million during his two week . Tour for his International foundation for socioeconomic and political studies also known As the Gorbachev foundation. The Atlanta journal and Constitution reported that Gorbachev waived his speakers fee in Exchange for the meeting with top corporate officers including coca cola co. Chairman Roberto Goizueta and Delta air lines chairman Ron Allen. Gorbachev was to receive an honorary Law degree monday at Emory. His next destination is new York including a visit to the United nations. He is also scheduled to travel to Washington to address a joint session of Congress