The cost of war

I read with interest the article New realities change warfare (The Jakarta Post, July 9, 1996, page four), by Mr. Sayidiman Suryohadiprojo. Let me add something left out in Mr. Suryohadiprojo's article: armies priced themselves out of the market.

Technology has made war not only deadlier, but also increasingly costly. In the 1973 Arab-Israeli war, more than 1,500 tanks were destroyed. In the Falklands war, 114 aircraft and 10 warships were lost. And in 1982 Bekaa Valley conflict, Syria lost 90 aircraft. A single US$250,000 Exocet (1960s vintage) missile sank a $50 million British frigate in the Falklands war. A $1 million missile can sink a $3 billion aircraft carrier.

To fight the Gulf War -- against an enemy very unlikely to put up a real fight -- the resources of Europe, the U.S. and the deep pockets of Kuwaitis and Saudis had to be put together. There may still be a war band emptying AK-47s in some faraway place, but war -- as armies think they will face -- are no longer affordable to nations.

OSVALDO COELHO

Bandung, West Java