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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.

gisterme - 05:51pm Jan 3, 2003 EST (# 7286 of 7295)

lunarchick 1/3/03 5:15pm

"The US is the world's largest economy. Economies have 'customers'."

Those are true statements. I might add that the EU economy runs a close second in size and we're both in the same market place. Are you saying that size does matter? :-)

"...Customers living elsewhere seem to be 'dissatisfied'..."

Oh? Then I'm sure they will no longer purchase US or EU goods and services.

"...Could it be that when geographical zones come out to rally and rage against the US .. they are acting out the roles of dissatisfied customers?..."

Seems unlikely, lchic. Dissatisfied "customers" have a product or service that they can point to as the object of their dissatisfaction. I haven't noticed such behaviour among those who come out to rally and rage against the US. It seems more likely that they are displaying their ignorance.

"...So what has been exchanged between them and the US?..."

Truthful information about standards of living have been exchanged, not just between them and the US but also the EU and other developed nations.

"...Why do they feel short-changed?..."

They feel short-changed because they notice that their own standards of living are not favorably comparable to those other places.

"...What's been wrong with the 'goods' that hasn't been rectified/put-right?..."

What's been wrong is that those folks have not received the fruits of their own labor as they have in more develped economies. They have their own governments to thank for that.

"...Are their complaints justified?..."

Of course they're justified; but they're intentionally misdirected.

"...What's being done to clear up misunderstandings between the US and their rest-of-the-world customers?..."

People are being educated. Knowledgeable people do not so easily believe lies. The world is becoming a smaller place for snake-oil peddlers. Soon they will have no place to hide.

lunarchick - 06:09pm Jan 3, 2003 EST (# 7287 of 7295)

A resident of Kabul (bbc) said that buildings had endured bomb damage throughout the city. The implied assistance from the US had not been forthcoming.

In the cold-wet months people move back into Pakistan because their home LEAK stucturally.

They happily endured the bombing - given the understanding that the US would help rebuilding - which isn't happening to their satisfaction.

Now if these folks from Afghanistan have told the story of the lack of US help with re-building to eleven others who inturn to eleven more each ... and on and on ... then it's easy to see how so many folks are out on the streets today hoping for a better deal for Afghans - additional to non-tangible issues that may be cultural misunderstandings.

lunarchick - 06:35pm Jan 3, 2003 EST (# 7288 of 7295)

Taking Showalter's basic building blocks of Order Symetry and Harmony (OSH) and applying it to the above:

Order - provision of cement and building materials

Symetry - waterproofed home giving comfort

Harmony - people in situ less 'doubling' of families/Pakistan

lunarchick - 06:35pm Jan 3, 2003 EST (# 7289 of 7295)

Taking Showalter's basic building blocks of Order Symetry and Harmony (OSH) and applying it to the above:

Order - provision of cement and building materials

Symmetry - waterproofed home giving comfort

Harmony - people in situ less 'doubling' of families/Pakistan

lunarchick - 06:39pm Jan 3, 2003 EST (# 7290 of 7295)

Biderman's Chart of Coercion

http://www.nwrain.net/~refocus/coerchrt.html

lunarchick - 06:46pm Jan 3, 2003 EST (# 7291 of 7295)

Coersion (2)

^{http://laissez-fairerepublic.com/Coercion.htm
http://www.mindjack.com/rushkoff/coercion.html
http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=coercion}

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