Long skeptical of space-based defenses, it is already moving to give the work a financial boost.

President Bush has decided to decide in 1993 whether to proceed with early deployment of space-based defenses.

That program, too, was fundamentally redesigned in January to incorporate a new space-based defense.

The Soviets resisted this because they were less advanced in space-based defenses.

He has not been a leading spokesman, either way, on such contested issues as money for a space-based defense against missiles.

Just read the treaty in a way that would allow development of space-based defenses.

Neither interpretation would allow actual deployment of space-based defenses, however.

In sum, there seemed no shortage of techniques with which to counter a space-based defense.

On top of that will come expenses for the expanding the research program to develop a space-based defense against nuclear missiles.

Fear of this competition is clearly a major reason for Moscow's interest in limiting research on space-based defenses.