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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 - 10:41pm Oct 20, 2002 EST (# 5095 of 5095)
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.

When Dr. Rice wrote this, I believe she wrote something profound and hopeful.

" Today, the international community has the best chance since the rise of the nation-state in the seventeenth century to build a world where great powers compete in peace instead of continually prepare for war. . . . . . The United States will build on these common interests to promote global security. "

" The National Security Strategy of the United States ," http://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/20/politics/20STEXT_FULL.html . page 2.

The whole world hopes for that. But if hopes are to solidify into reality - we need to communicate effectively - - work enough things out between people and powers so that they know enough to compete in peace.

That takes a lot of talking - negotiation of a shared space - - communication good enough so that - when it matters for practical affairs intended meanings and percieved meanings match well enough to be safe.
A communication model http://www.worldtrans.org/TP/TP1/TP1-17.HTML

For us to find that shared space - and maintain it - and know we have it -- - we need empathy.

Even for those we hate and fear.

Because we have things we have to communicate about.

And so "warm feelings" - at some levels - even if they are just "conventional" or "polite" - - are very practical -- matters of life and death.

New York Times on the Web Forums Science Missile Defense