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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?

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lchic - 06:28am Sep 25, 2003 EST (# 13953 of 13958)
~~~~ It got understood and exposed ~~~~

The unwillingness of International Bodies such as the UN to intervene in countries where 'standards' are in decline results in ambiguity in reasoning

How can there be 'Human RIGHTS' where Humans have few rights?

That 'outside' bodies will monitor happenings within National Boundaries may lead to improvements in standards and quality of life in many countries.

rshow55 - 06:35am Sep 25, 2003 EST (# 13954 of 13958)
Can we do a better job of finding truth? YES. Click "rshow55" for some things Lchic and I have done and worked for on this thread.

For that to work - there have to be limits on the "right to lie" - and the right to resist checking.

13630 http://forums.nytimes.com/webin/WebX?8@13.wu9EbmPGIUp.1670586@.f28e622/15323

13682 http://forums.nytimes.com/webin/WebX?8@13.wu9EbmPGIUp.1670586@.f28e622/15375

To do much better than we're doing - we have to find ways to get facts straight - when it matters enough - against the inclination of power holders. Unless this is done, there is no solution to some of our most key problems. Good, stable closures simply are not possible.

Here is Berle: ( Power - Chapter II )

In the hands or mind of an individual, the impulse toward power is not inherently limited. Limits are imposed by extraneous fact and usually also by conscience and intellectual restraint. Capacity to make others do what you wish knows only those limitations.

That's plain and straight. Power holders want to limit the ability of others to determine facts because that extends their power. It is in the overwhelming collective interest to see that facts that matter enough are determined - both so that power can be reasonably limited - and because human beings have to make decisions on what they believe to be true.

If leaders of nation states had the wisdom, fortitude and courage to face the fact that there have to be limits on the right of people in power to decieve themselves and others, we'd live in a much more hopeful world. Limits that put some limits on personal political power and on sovereignty.

Maybe not severe limits. Maybe not limits applied with great consistency. But some limits. Enforced sometimes. When it matters enough.

Without effective restrictions on the right to lie - there really can be no effective international law.

- - -

Because "connecting the dots" works so well - if people keep at it - and are clear about logical structure, facts, weights and team identifications, and how they matter - we can do a lot better than we've been doing.

lchic - 06:45am Sep 25, 2003 EST (# 13955 of 13958)
~~~~ It got understood and exposed ~~~~

How do we measure 'better'?

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