Research Pledge

I would like to take exception to the pledges signed by 500 scientists opposing research on biological and chemical weapons (“500 Scientists Spurn Work on Biological Arms,” Part I, July 23).

I am a student of biochemistry and I will enter the field of biomedical research in a number of years. I would like to state unequivocally that I would not hesitate to participate in a research project aimed at developing biological or chemical weapons.

The sole function of our armed forces is to preserve our liberty--first, by ensuring that any military attack against us would be prohibitively costly to the attacker and second, by maintaining a level of armament and preparedness that would enable us to defeat any attacker as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Biological and chemical weapons serve both of these purposes admirably and their development should be aggressively pursued.

RON M. KAGAN

Long Beach