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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 - 08:52pm Aug 5, 2002 EST (#3518 of 3545)

Kids the world over
backpack and hostel
and get along fine
- so just why can't everyone -
the whole of the time ?
^lchic2002

mazza9 - 08:53pm Aug 5, 2002 EST (#3519 of 3545)
"Quae cum ita sunt" Caesar's Gallic Commentaries

Yes, the Cold War was Ugly. I suppose suggesting that the environment was less than polite is probably the understatement of the millennium!

You can credit the Soviet Union with a herculean accomplishment. From 1908 to 1938, Russian society evolved from a 1600 serf society to a 20th Century industrial society. Watch the movie or read "Doctor Zhivago" and you can perceive the change that occurred. But at what cost? Remember, there were many US socialists who visted Russia in the FDR 30s' and returned to the US exclaiming that they had "seen the future and it is now!". Of course, they hadn't seen the Gulag or the millions of Cossacks in the Ukraine who were starved to death.

Now President Bush is trying to draw them close, acknowledge a new found friendship so that the educational an industrial power can be focused on improving their lot and the rest of the world's.

Some people think that SDI bankrupted the old Soviet Union and along with their foolish entry into Afghanistan and Chernobyl brought about their collapse. If so then the SDI investment was worthwhile.

Just look at today's news. We hold hearings and talk about 'interdicting", (I like that word), Saddam and all of a suddent they want to talk about resuming weapons inspections and meeting the requirements of the UN resolutions that arose from the Gulf War. Teddy had it right. Speak softly and carry a BIG stick. Maybe those iodine lasers on the ABL won't ever be needed to shoot down missile but they still might be useful as anti meteor/asteroid weapons when we begin to travel to Mars, the outer planets and then the stars!!!Ad Astra Y'all.

lchic - 11:50pm Aug 6, 2002 EST (#3520 of 3545)

Interdiction has proven to be popular ^{http://forums.nytimes.com/webin/WebX?127@167.5CZCaAadQIs^4851856@.f28e622}

On cooperation within economies - or how the not so rich survive - see ManchesterU sociologist on Peasants (who compose 2/3 on earth today) *****
^{http://www.newscientist.com/opinion/opinterview.jsp?id=ns23541}

The Guardian is reported today as saying the greatest threat to world peace is ..... drum roll .... GeorgeW Bush - such a perceptive publication with a pulse on world issues. If the citation turns up will post. GU.com

Japan's non-nuclear policy under threat
Audio: As the nation commemorates the bombing of Hiroshima, Jonathan Watts in Tokyo hears government sources suggest that Japan's long-standing non-nuclear policy is not 'legally binding' (2min 14s).

On Iraq Scott Ritter
"This isn't American democracy in action," said Mr Ritter.
"It's the failure of American democracy "

^{http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,770374,00.html}
"This is deadly serious stuff," the former UN chief weapons inspector Scott Ritter, an outspoken critic of the war plans, said yesterday. "He is not briefing about a cricket match. He is briefing about war options."

Mr Ritter, a marine corps veteran and Republican, said he was in no doubt that the Bush administration was committed to military action. "I keep hearing from people that they are bluffing. They are not bluffing. The Bush administration is going to go to war come hell or high water. The decision has been made."

.... "I can't think of anything funnier than a handful of congressmen walking around," said Mr Rumsfeld. "They'd have to be there for the next 50 years trying to find something. It's a joke."

GU search - on Bush (Iraq) ^{http://search.guardian.co.uk/search97cgi/s97networkr_cgi?QueryText=bush&Action=Search&Collection=Archive&ResultTemplate=ArchiveFull.hts&SortSpec=VdkPublicationDate+Desc}

UK MP's Opposition to war
^{http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4476912,00.html}

Military

Tony Blair's military advisers are privately expressing deep anxiety about the Bush administration's seemingly inevitable march to war against Iraq.

seattlesky2 - 12:13am Aug 7, 2002 EST (#3521 of 3545)

To the others:

Have you seen this object? Do they have one here? Have you seen this also? And Why is it necessary.

http://familyfriend.freeservers.com/Index1.html

Please respond to the email attached.

lchic - 01:12am Aug 7, 2002 EST (#3522 of 3545)

Said to rain EVERYDAY in Seattle ... didn't open - presume object was an umbrella, fella.

lchic - 01:58am Aug 7, 2002 EST (#3523 of 3545)

Disquiet grows over Iraq
^{http://news.independent.co.uk/world/politics/story.jsp?story=322242}

lchic - 02:12am Aug 7, 2002 EST (#3524 of 3545)

Fisk - Afghanistan
^{http://www.independent.co.uk/search.jsp?keywords=fisk&submit=Go}

lchic - 02:19am Aug 7, 2002 EST (#3525 of 3545)

Terrance Hicks told by Aussie PM - that it's ok for David Hicks to be 'held' by the US ... Terrance must understand that his son was taken during a 'military' operation

WOW!

David's bid to have is case (wot case?) heard in the USA has failed.

lchic - 02:22am Aug 7, 2002 EST (#3526 of 3545)

GU thread - Friedman
^{http://talk.guardian.co.uk/WebX?50@@.2cbe6397/0}

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