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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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rshow55 - 11:01am Sep 24, 2002 EST (# 4504 of 4511)
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 the 100 million dollars Saddam is reputed to have spent on a single radar -- it would be possible to do all, or almost all, of the design work needed to shoot down all stealth aircraft, and most or all of our other aircraft -- and the design work is simple enough that the most important parts of it might even be done, as "senior design projects" in any University capable of preparing students for the equivalent of the US professional engineering exams in electrical engineering. There are many such schools, all over the world - in small and large countries.

Our aircraft are very vulnerable - this isn't a close call.

The United States defense budget exceeds 300 billion dollars -- but a billion dollars of engineering is much more than this work, properly done, ought to take.

Basic physics isn't going to change -- we are making assumptions, in our military strategy, that are making crazy bets against easy and essentially certain technical changes.

lchic - 11:08am Sep 24, 2002 EST (# 4505 of 4511)

Iraq capital equates with London/NewYork for population size ...

Smart politicians would be thinking through, and round, rather than 'charging' ...

The question for the world is how to get the 'monsters' of national leaderships moved sideways ...

Sideways used to be a one-way ticket to Lybia ...

rshow55 - 11:21am Sep 24, 2002 EST (# 4506 of 4511)
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.

If the US works with the world - there may be good ways of doing that. An enormous fraction of the world would be very happy to see Saddam go.

Last year, I called a friend, well connected with the Republicans, suggesting that I might be of use dealing with, or taking down, Osama Bin Laden. Didn't seem unreasonable -- we both were taught a good deal by Casey. Well, nothing came of it. If I'd had a chance to contribute - I think the war on terror would be farther along now. And our intelligence agencies would be making faster, more comfortable, more effective adjustments.

I wish I were able to help with technical aspects of the job of displacing Saddam - at least cost.

Right now, step by step, I'm working to keep the promises I made to Bill Casey - and acting, so far as I can, in the real national interest of the United States of America.

A key reason to want the technical answers about the current missile defense boondoggle, and many other fraud-muddle fiascos of the military-industrial complex is that those answers would move toward larger answers to questions the whole world needs, and is coming to know it needs:

What is the real national interest of the United States? Not just the interest of the military-industrial complex?

and

Can the United States be honest enough and trustworthy enough about what it asks for, and agrees to, so that its interests can be reasonably, efficiently, justly accomodated by the rest of the world?

If we answered those questions, in workable detail - a lot could sort out.

lchic - 11:38am Sep 24, 2002 EST (# 4507 of 4511)

Has the 'way' the USA has travelled over the past decades been on a path sanctioned by 'the people' or

Has the route taken been decided by 'King and Court' for reasons dear to their own hearts?

Had the USA travelled along an enlightened pathway - would it have been 'the light of the world' removing darkness and evil

Instigating infrastructures to 'enable' nations to sustain themselves and grow

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The issue of national leaderships, and the competence of leaders, is an area that ought to be looked at on an 'international' basis.

Where self-interest, and the interests of a support clique predominate there's unrest (often accompanied by macabre acts)

Should leaders have to demonstrate competence together with a stated aim of working 'for' their nation rather than plundering it

The UN were it funded and functioning is one body that could develop standards and pathways along which nations might move - in the best interests of their citizens within necessary world patterns of development

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