What was the strategic defense initiative?
a) a series of military actions to root out communist in central america
b) a plan to defend eastern europe in the even of a soviet attack
c) a program to use laser technology to defend america against missiles
d) a coalition of nations that volunteered to police in the middle east

Correct  C) a plan to use laser technology to defend America against missiles

Background/context:

In 1983, Reagan proposed the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), which was a plan for a space-based missile defense system against any threat of Soviet missiles.  Sometimes people referred to Reagan's plan as "Star Wars," because of the original idea to use lasers.  The plan ultimately developed into defensive missiles that could target and shoot down incoming offensive missiles.  More than 200 billion dollars were devoted to the Strategic Defense Initiative over the next four decades after the program was started.