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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 - 09:20pm Dec 8, 2002 EST (# 6377 of 6377)
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.

There are plenty of ugly things about the Israelis and the Palestinians, as well.

2439 rshow55 6/2/02 3:55pm

Almarst's question of last year ... "What are the reasons today for hostility between nations?" is an absolutely fundamental one - and we don't know enough, now, to answer it in the detail we need for decent action. But since the time he asked the question, there's been progress. Perhaps we're learning . . .

On 5 May, lchic and I did a two hour, 70 post session on negotiation in the middle east in the Guardian thread Anything on Anything from http://talk.guardian.co.uk/WebX?14@@.eea14e1/1253 to http://talk.guardian.co.uk/WebX?14@@.eea14e1/1318 on negotiating tactics that could use the internet, and then last week, we talked about using the internet and logic to help get to, and explain, facts and ideas that people could agree to. Paradigm Shift .... whose getting there? from http://talk.guardian.co.uk/WebX?14@@.ee7726f/719 to http://talk.guardian.co.uk/WebX?14@@.ee7726f/806

I don't know if these sessions, which contain many links to this thread, were useful, or even read -- but they do reflect some of the new opportunities that come with the web. . . . . .

Some of these opportunities will have pain and awkwardness attached, and there will sometimes be need for some ideas I thought were powerfully expressed in a very practical piece: Beyond Justice: The Eternal Struggle to Forgive By DEAN E. MURPHY http://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/26/weekinreview/26MURP.html

In rshow55 12/6/02 9:22am I say this:

Someone with rank could call Dawn Riley (she wouldn't be hard to find) - negotiate a letter for status and some money for her (nothing unreasonable) and she could organize a lot safer, smoother resolution of a lot of messes - including those in N. Korea and Iraq, than seem to be happening now.

People dispair of getting good answers - and then classify them out of existence with formalities, and barriers. If people reading this thread, with some rank, wanted much better solutions than are happening, odds are they could get them, if they'd make a few phone calls, write a letter or two, ask for money from people who'd be glad to give it - - and - at least for some purposes -- use their own names.

Using the techniques lchic and I discussed above - and other skills abundantly shown on this thread - a lot could be done.

I suspect that with some simple status questions adressed, people with resources and connections would be glad to help. Status issues matter. These days, somehow, "no one knows" where Bin Laden is. Because to say where would be unacceptable in the social world of the people involved. For somewhat analogous reasons of state, I've been put in a position where is isn't acceptable for people using their own names and positions to help me in any direct way. That could be changed quickly and easily, if anyone of power and responsibility wanted the change.

Gisterme responded to rshow55 12/6/02 9:22am in an ungraceful and dishonorable manner, but I suspect (s)he knows that I'm right on this. A lot of facts can be settled by "collecting the dots" - some discussion - and, in the presence of umpires if necessary - saying "here, look for yourself."

At the least, people can get clear on what the fights are actually about - and what remains of the fights, after the deceptions have been stripped away.

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