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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.

reader374 - 03:10pm Feb 2, 2002 EST (#11189 of 11209)

enron will rebound with full vigour

mazza9 - 03:13pm Feb 2, 2002 EST (#11190 of 11209)
Louis Mazza

"The MD weapons programs simply cannot work.

Well God has spoken so I guess we might as well shut down this forum!

Let's see what subject matter requiring scientific clarification can we offer up to his godliness RShow55?

Help me out here gang. We haven't had this opportunity since "The Day the Earth Stood Still"!!!!

I believe that the ABL lasers will punch a hole in all this enronification. Say why wasn't this amount of discourse brought to the fore when we were confronted with a REAL national security risk, to wit, the Lewinskification of our Judicial System. Wasn't that a threat equal to the advice referred to in Eisenhower's farewell address. I was young but I don't remember Ike saying, "Gee I deserve a legacy so I strip the White House and pardon criminals for personal gain". Since you choose to go off point why dont you pontificate on this issue?

LouMazza

reader374 - 03:14pm Feb 2, 2002 EST (#11191 of 11209)

enron is too big to sink - but i think tyco will- they have an enormous internal problem - this is my gut feeling - that when enron rebounds - tyco will go under - it will happen in less than a year- even astrologers are predicting it- economists and media barons and warmongers are all of the same opinion

rshow55 - 03:42pm Feb 2, 2002 EST (#11192 of 11209)

rshow55 2/2/02 7:22am ... After a point, those who turn away from looking at corruption, corrupt themselves.

The stakes under discussion are high, and part of that involves large flows of money. Flows of money subject to all of the "insider" abuses that characterized Enron, and often involving the same people. rshow55 2/1/02 12:22pm

Plan to Stop Missile Threat Could Cost $238 Billion by JAMES DAO http://www.nytimes.com/2002/02/01/international/01MISS.html

Building and operating the major missile defense programs now under development by the Bush administration could cost as much as $238 billion by 2025....

and related issues . . .

Bush Sees Big Rise in Military Budget for Next 5 Years by JAMES DAO The Bush administration will call for increasing the Pentagons yearly budget by $120 billion over the next five years....

Former Executive, Now in Washington, Denies Impropriety at His Unit by JAMES DAO Thomas E. White, the secretary of the Army, vigorously defended the business practices of a major Enron division that he helped manage until early las...

Army Secretary Should Testify Before Congress, Democrat Says By ALEX BERENSON with JAMES DAO A senior Democrat said the secretary of the Army, Thomas E. White, should testify before Congress about his experience as an Enron executive....

Mazza, we can talk some more. Things do seem to be converging. If you had something of substance to say in technical defense of the MD programs, you'd be tempted to say so, wouldn't you?

I notice you don't.

mazza9 - 04:03pm Feb 2, 2002 EST (#11193 of 11209)
Louis Mazza

"I'm rubber you're glue. Whatever you say bounces off of me and sticks to you" This childish playground chant won't work on me.

You think that you can say "The MD weapons programs simply cannot work." with no basis for your assertion. Yet you choose to suggest that I have nothing to say of technical substance. I've read Aviation Week since I discovered it as a freshman ROTC candidate in 1961. I've read Scientific American for as long. Other posters have noted your churlish, unprofessional, nonsensical assertions.

BMD will work, if for no other reason, we seem more capable of weapons than welfare. This holds true for all of our history as the most senitent species on this planet, (I suppose that could be an entire forum subject all by itself).

I believe Boeing, TRW and the program managers. I don't believe you. That's my right and if you can't respect that then... don't let the door hit you in the posterior.

LouMazza

lchic - 06:27pm Feb 2, 2002 EST (#11194 of 11209)

Butt butt but ...

mazza9 - 06:29pm Feb 2, 2002 EST (#11195 of 11209)
Louis Mazza

Once again, lchic contributes a intelligent, on topic, post.

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