the Strategic Defense Initiative
/ðə strəˌtiːdʒɪk dɪˈfens ɪnɪʃətɪv/
/ðə strəˌtiːdʒɪk dɪˈfens ɪnɪʃətɪv/
(abbreviation SDI)
- the plan by US President Reagan to build a defence in space against nuclear weapons. Its popular name was 'Star Wars'. He announced this in 1983, but it was never built because of the expense and the end of the Cold War. SDI was cancelled in 1993.
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the Strategic Defense Initiative