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Missile Defense

Technology has always found its greatest consumer in a nation's war and defense efforts. Since the last attempts at a "Star Wars" defense system, has technology changed considerably enough to make the latest Missile Defense initiatives more successful? Can such an application of science be successful? Is a militarized space inevitable, necessary or impossible?

Read Debates, a new Web-only feature culled from Readers' Opinions, published every Thursday.

rshow55 - 11:25am Jan 24, 2002 EST (#11021 of 11035)

I'm not blaming everything on Bush, by any means. I don't think lchic is either. But things need to be fixed.

As for the question of controlling risks from weapons of mass destruction -- we need approaches that can work.

Not frauds, and boondoggles where fundamentals are so avoided that they become frauds.

From my perspective, it is hard for me to think of what you've done and said, Mazza, without thinking of you as having a treasonous, reckless disregard for the national interest.

I don't have to support what Loral did, to think so.

mazza9 - 11:41am Jan 24, 2002 EST (#11022 of 11035)
Louis Mazza

RShow55:

I served. Did you?

lchic: Our republic was founded on the belief that humans are corruptable, fallible, and in need of saving grace. Our system was constructed to keep the baser instincts of all of us at bay. For every Mother Theresa there are millions who don't or can't operate at that level of integrity or sacrifice. We just are doomed to muddle along and maybe, just maybe, we will get it right in the long run.

LouMazza

lchic - 12:00pm Jan 24, 2002 EST (#11023 of 11035)

Your system wasn't 'created'

It evolved!

Evolution is built from experience.

This is why it's important that 'truth' outs, so that incremental, or fundamental, improvements can be made.

mazza9 - 12:34pm Jan 24, 2002 EST (#11024 of 11035)
Louis Mazza

lchic:

Okay, I missed it! What, exactly is your system?

LouMazza

rshow55 - 12:35pm Jan 24, 2002 EST (#11025 of 11035)

"it's important that 'truth' outs, so that incremental, or fundamental, improvements can be made."

A lot could be done to establish truth.

Sorting out technical reality on MD would be good for the country, and the world.

So would sorting out what actually happened during the Cold War, and what we ought to do now.

MD1041 rshowalter 3/15/01 4:18pm

With the internet, we are in a new world. And we're learning what's needed, using the internet, to get to closure.

lchic - 07:11pm Jan 24, 2002 EST (#11026 of 11035)

Systems?!?

rshow55 - 07:56pm Jan 24, 2002 EST (#11027 of 11035)

Great reference on systems management, lchic!

Systems management only works with correct information. And decently defined systems and problems. And when problems are complex (and our defense problems are very complex) -- the danger due to misinformation is very great.

People are assuming that technical aspects of MD that aren't workable do work. That's dangerous!

For a sense of how dangerous, it helps to have a sense of how complex problems can be, and how limited our ability to analyze those problems really is.

MD1131 rshowalter 3/17/01 6:02pm ... MD1132 rshowalter 3/17/01 6:10pm
Kline's Index of complexity -- V + P + L < C < V times P times L ...

MD1133 rshowalter 3/17/01 6:13pm ... MD1134 rshowalter 3/17/01 6:17pm
MD1135 rshowalter 3/17/01 6:19pm ... MD1136 rshowalter 3/17/01 6:24pm

People and nations do make their systems work better. There's been progress since "Muddle in Moscow" http://www.economist.com/displayStory.cfm?Story_ID=533129 .....

MD7389 rshowalter 7/24/01 7:18pm

We can make more progress.

rshow55 - 08:23pm Jan 24, 2002 EST (#11028 of 11035)

Other evidence of progress. On March 24, American leaders and Russians barely communicated at all. Now, though they don't always like each other - - there are open lines of communication.

MD1777 rshowalter 3/30/01 12:12pm

News Analysis: U.S. Policy on Russia — A Tougher Stance ..... by JANE PERLEZ ...... March 24

We can make more progress. We must.

lchic - 08:29pm Jan 24, 2002 EST (#11029 of 11035)

Prison/Russia - Putin has determined that all women in (insanitary) prison ought to be released! Cases will be reviewed. Many men might also be worthy of consideration.

lchic - 08:36pm Jan 24, 2002 EST (#11030 of 11035)

Putin has put 'common sense' into play. Why doesn't Bush use the logics of the same wrt Nukes .. end the cold war .. and bring 'em down! So simple, so easy and so satisfactory!
Being brought down by 'A Pretzel' won't ensure his place in history - bringing down Nukes would .. !

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