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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 - 03:16am Jul 1, 2003 EST (# 12779 of 12790)
~~~~ It got understood and exposed ~~~~

A vision of Britain in 2020: power cuts and the 3-day week http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,988588,00.html

... 80% of the gas to fuel Britain's power stations and domestic central heating will be piped "from politically unstable countries thousands of miles away." Mechanical failure, sabotage and terrorist attack would lead to power cuts within days, the report says.

... "We will literally be at the end of the line which will start in Algeria, Iran and Russia, and pass through many gas-needy countries. ....

"It does not need much ******** imagination ******** to realise how vulnerable we will be ...

storage space for gas to give Britain a strategic reserve. Germany and France have 70 days supply for emergencies ....

UK - By 2020, 80% of all electricity will be generated from foreign gas supplies

Currently our (UK) generation mix for electricity is approximately 32% coal, 23% nuclear, 38% gas, 4% oil, with 3% others and renewables.

The report comes four months after the government's energy white paper claimed that future gas supplies were not a problem.

...

lchic - 03:17am Jul 1, 2003 EST (# 12780 of 12790)
~~~~ It got understood and exposed ~~~~

MD http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,988612,00.html

lchic - 03:26am Jul 1, 2003 EST (# 12781 of 12790)
~~~~ It got understood and exposed ~~~~

Heard a report that the 'peace movement' was a growing phenomenon

American 'influence' on the world is HARD-A_bomb and SOFT (respect)

The 'soft' influences of the US on the world (US PR) have declined in proportion to the 'rise of empire' so to speak

lchic - 07:37am Jul 1, 2003 EST (# 12782 of 12790)
~~~~ It got understood and exposed ~~~~

The Cartel - Oil And The US Government ( TV | German production )

“Bush is the dream of every industrial boss, anything is possible when you fill Bush’s political pockets with cash.” Jim Hightower, former Minister of Texas.

In January 2001, as George W. Bush’s new administration was sworn in, became obvious that the men and women recruited to the new cabinet, shared one thing in common – a close affiliation to America’s oil and energy industry.

This documentary by German United Productions, directed by Helmut Grosse, examines the link between President George W. Bush and America’s oil and energy corporations. Grosse suggests that Bush owes his presidential win to the influence of powerful members of the energy industries. Through a series of detailed interviews with journalists and authors Grosse reveals that now that Bush is in power, it is “payback time.”

“Bush is a president who was bought by the energy industries,” says Bill Allison from the Public Integrity Institute. He gives accounts of unprecedented transactions of funds for Bush campaigns and of deals between Bush and companies like Enron, Reliant and El Paso.

Allison explains that when Bush came to power, California was experiencing a crisis in energy supply. The Government prepared a new energy policy under the direction of Vice President Dick Cheney who then engaged Kenneth Lay (former CEO of the now bankrupt Enron) and other lobbyists from Enron to help formulate a strategy. He adds, “the new energy plan contained only 20 points, all providing business advantages to Enron and other similar companies.”

The documentary details Bush’s controversial relationship with Kenneth Lay. A close personal friend of Bush and a major contributor to his presidential election campaign; we are shown how Kenneth Lay was allowed to influence political decisions.

Journalist Robert Brice discusses Bush’s connection to Enron’s 3 billion-dollar investment in a power station based in India. “At the beginning of 2001 the Indian government stopped payments for the supplies of electricity and Enron asked Bush for assistance. In an unparalleled move the Bush government ordered the National Security Council, a committee which normally compiles war strategies and interfaces with the State Department and Department of Defence, to get involved.”

This report also reveals the relationship between members of Bush’s cabinet and the favoured status of Halliburton. Vice President Dick Cheney, who was also the former Defence Secretary to President George Bush Senior, was the former CEO of Halliburton. We are shown how Cheney has exploited and profited from his presidential relationships to deal with the several corporate fraud cases mounted against him by Halliburton shareholders. The illegal deals between Halliburton and Iraq and Libya are also outlined

Related SBS Website : http://www.sbs.com.au/whatson/

lchic - 07:39am Jul 1, 2003 EST (# 12783 of 12790)
~~~~ It got understood and exposed ~~~~

To take a rational independent stance on energy matters ... sounds like a 'real' challenge to Casa Blanca.

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