New York Times Readers Opinions
The New York Times
Home
Job Market
Real Estate
Automobiles
News
International
National
Washington
Campaigns
Business
Technology
Science
Health
Sports
New York Region
Education
Weather
Obituaries
NYT Front Page
Corrections
Opinion
Editorials/Op-Ed
Readers' Opinions


Features
Arts
Books
Movies
Travel
Dining & Wine
Home & Garden
Fashion & Style
New York Today
Crossword/Games
Cartoons
Magazine
Week in Review
Multimedia
College
Learning Network
Services
Archive
Classifieds
Book a Trip
Personals
Theater Tickets
Premium Products
NYT Store
NYT Mobile
E-Cards & More
About NYTDigital
Jobs at NYTDigital
Online Media Kit
Our Advertisers
Member_Center
Your Profile
E-Mail Preferences
News Tracker
Premium Account
Site Help
Privacy Policy
Newspaper
Home Delivery
Customer Service
Electronic Edition
Media Kit
Community Affairs
Text Version
TipsGo to Advanced Search
Search Options divide
go to Member Center Log Out
  

 [F] New York Times on the Web Forums  / Science  /

    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.


Earliest Messages Previous Messages Recent Messages Outline (5994 previous messages)

rshow55 - 07:04pm Nov 20, 2002 EST (# 5995 of 5998) Delete Message
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.

almarst2002 11/20/02 7:01pm - - if Iraq does what it says it will do - regime change won't be necessary - and oil-business advantages should go to Iraq, Russia, and France - not the United States.

almarst2002 - 07:13pm Nov 20, 2002 EST (# 5996 of 5998)

rshow55 11/20/02 7:04pm

I have no stake in who will get the Iraqi oil business. As long as it is done at least to some degree within moral norms and not on a bones of innocent people.

Am I asking for too much?

rshow55 - 07:18pm Nov 20, 2002 EST (# 5997 of 5998) Delete Message
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.

I don't think so.

I think we're moving, with some honorable help from the Bush administration (help given with some thought, not by mistake) toward a situation that could deal with the real concerns that Almarst has cited on this thread - at the same time clarifying international law, and making it more workable:

http://talk.guardian.co.uk/WebX?14@@.ee7a163/283

Just a thought for a happy ending, based on the pattern in How a Story is Shaped http://www.fortunecity.com/lavendar/ducksoup/555/storyshape.html

Status Quo . . .

Initial Problem . . .

Exposition . . .

Complications . . .

Crisis . . . A superpower out of hand - - with plenty of muddle and danger.

Climax boom, crash -- . . . A few world leaders say, in public, "this is an intolerable mess -- there are muddles here -- we want the key facts and relations sorted out -- staffed to closure -- beyond question . . ."

to be continued .

Denouement . . .

Description of New Status Quo . . .

New Status Quo

I think some pretty satisfactory resolutions would occur, pretty naturally, once there was enough "news value" for public scrutiny -- along with formats that were able to handle the logical problems involved.

- - -

It seems to me that we're moving towards that.

Not towards moral perfection - but perhaps toward improvement - and essential clarification.

Bush is not my very most favorite person. But just now, in this instance, he is not putting himself above the law.

Or beyond reasonable questions.

almarst2002 - 07:19pm Nov 20, 2002 EST (# 5998 of 5998)

I wonder how deep is the American public understanding of the consequences of turning this country into Global Empire? Particularely in terms of financial cost, role of the military and personal freedoms.

 Read Subscriptions  Subscribe  Search  Post Message
 Your Preferences

 [F] New York Times on the Web Forums  / Science  / Missile Defense


Enter your response, then click the POST MY MESSAGE button below.
See the
quick-edit help for more information.






Home | Back to Readers' Opinions Back to Top


Copyright 2002 The New York Times Company | Privacy Policy | Contact Us