system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
[Star Wars] What was Tarkin specifically thinking when he blew up Alderaan? What was he hoping to accomplish?

to be clear, I'm not asking if it was a bad decision, but rather what the rationale for the decision was.
gpt
It was a demonstration of both the ability and willingness of the Empire to destroy an entire planet, even an important and influential one in the core worlds. It was not safe for anyone to oppose the Empire.