SCI

The Strategic Computing Initiative was the lesser-known adjunct to the Reagan Administration's Strategic Defense Initiative, inappropriately branded "Star Wars" by the drooling clods in the press. The goal of SCI, however, was both more subtle and far more ambitious than its SDI cousin. In short, it aimed to create Skynet.

While it didn't succeed (or did it?), many of the technologies developed out of the program are commonplace today, which has always been true of defense research. Leftists and peaceniks absolutely hate it when that's pointed out -- which is why I try to do so as often as possible.