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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.

lchic - 06:24pm Mar 28, 2002 EST (#922 of 937)

"We will be adding this new weapon to the armoury that we already have." http://education.independent.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=279238

Interesting how generational matters are entering the now.

On the world scene - were peace (not war) the virtue - and the above principle applied ... why one might see the Parents of GeorgeWB (had George done the wrong thing - internationally) having to face an enquiring looking for behaviour modification in they ways he was brought up :)

Physical punishment is a 'no-no' in the social context!

If physical punishing war is a redundant concept - and peace a viable one ... then when will people 'look to peace' rather than resort to war?!

lchic - 07:06pm Mar 28, 2002 EST (#923 of 937)

" ... Palestinian negotiator said the latest US-Israeli proposals on implementing the so-called Tenet plan excluded "some of the Israeli obligations" and "added Palestinian obligations that were not in the Tenet workplan". http://news.ft.com/home/rw/

lchic - 07:12pm Mar 28, 2002 EST (#924 of 937)

Psychological assessments

An aptitude for peace? Can this be 'tested' for?

rshow55 - 07:47pm Mar 28, 2002 EST (#925 of 937)

A major "aptitude for peace" is, alas, somewhat unnatural for human beings. It is the inclination to tell the truth.

For war, the ability to bluff is much more important. Deception is essential for effective attacks, and so the ability to bluff is prized, and cultivated. For peace, straight information is the most important single requirement.

Whether this story reports a bluff or not, I can't tell, but I'm not sure that very many people in the business world would be capable of the profession of ignorance reported here.

Army Sec. White Under Investigation at Pentagon By REUTERS http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/politics/politics-enron-white.html . . . includes this:

"White, a retired brigadier general, left a post as vice chairman of Enron Energy Services to become Army secretary in early 2001.

" White denied knowledge of Enron's off-the-books partnerships , which hid huge debts. ``When I read about it in the newspaper, I was as appalled as everyone else,'' he said.

I wonder how many people who have actually worked in large operations would believe that story, if they heard it delivered to their face?

I'd find it difficult to do so.

Surprised? Appalled?

On issues of missile defense, the question of fraud, and other forms of systematic deception, aren't the only questions. But they are questions that need to be adressed.

OpEd Advertorial http://www.tompaine.com/op_ads/opad.cfm/ID/5241

MD428 wrcooper 3/13/02 8:16am

http://www.technologyreview.com/articles/postol0402.asp

almarst-2001 - 08:24pm Mar 28, 2002 EST (#926 of 937)

Lunarchic - On Freedom ... and the Press.

1. There is no absolute freedom anywere I have witnessed so far. But, my personal sense of freedom of expression can be ranged from lowest to highest in the following countries as follows:

Soviet Union, United States, Israel - the highest.

The reason I placed the Israel higher then the US is that, may be purely by chance, I could much easier find a people willing to argue with your point of view without sticking a label on you. The open-minedness.

On the Press. Here I would argue quite strongly that OBJECTIVELY, the Israeli press is much more open and free then one in the US. As well as other mass-media like Radio and TV.

Sorry, I have no idea about the Australian one.

The idea of a strong connection between information-age revolution and the degree of individual freedom still has to be proven, in my view. Is seems to lay in ihe realm of the Holliwood inspired simplistic view of the world. Not much different from any totalitarian one. Just of a different kind.

As usual, when you see a word "FREE" - better look for the small print...;)

almarst-2001 - 11:28pm Mar 28, 2002 EST (#927 of 937)

Watching TV Increases Teen, Adult Aggression - http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A31674-2002Mar28.html

That may explain a lot about the average American.

Worst then just the brain washing...

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