In a repeat of her success on the emergency communications issue, Mrs. Dole wanted to raise the matter with Secretary Perry.

Secretary Perry, I cannot praise you enough.

"Secretary Perry has said that the only reason a follow-on force might be necessary is to prevent an outbreak of war," Mr. Bacon said.

Even some experts on Secretary Perry's staff say privately that they oppose the plan.

Secretary Perry said in December that any perception that the Defense Department had tried to withhold information on the issue was "dead wrong."

"There's no way of guiding the missile without having the radar on, and that's why they had such a wild shot," Secretary Perry said.

"Ex post facto rationalization," he said as Secretary Perry carefully explained the Administration's policy of not taking sides in the war.

"I fully align myself with Secretary Perry on this issue," he said.

If, as Defense Secretary Perry keeps hoping, the aggressors achieve balance by a "build-down," fine; but let's not count on it.

"It's an excellent idea, but it's a complex idea," Secretary Perry told reporters today.