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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 - 12:13am Jan 6, 2003 EST (# 7405 of 7409)

almarst2002 1/5/03 10:41pm

"...You mean the light water reactors are already in place?..."

I don't think they were completed yet. I don't know just how far along they got. I do know that historically it has taken many years to complete reactors inside the US. I don't know why it would be any quicker build reactors in a distant, less developed location like NK.

I do know that no new reactors have been licensed or built in the US for many years. There's one reactor plant out in California that was completed in 1975, and only operated until 1989 when it was shut down as the result of a public referendum. So far as I know, it's just sitting there deteriorating now.

So another reason for some delay in deliverng the NK plants may have been that the US commercial reactor-building industry was not at all mobilized to whip out a couple of "quickies" in NK or anywhere else. That's just specualtion, of course.

It may also be true that US intelligence has known for years that the NKs had continued their nuclear weapons program. That would be a very good reason for some foot-dragging. If that were the case it may be that the US has been more patient with the NKs than we think, perhaps hoping that the NKs would mend their ways without a big stink having to be made. Again, that's just speculation.

gisterme - 12:20am Jan 6, 2003 EST (# 7406 of 7409)

almarst2002 1/5/03 11:53pm

"...An "interesting" conclusion. I am sure you applyed the "formal" logic;)..."

Nope. Just public information.

gisterme - 12:47am Jan 6, 2003 EST (# 7407 of 7409)

almarst2002 1/5/03 11:29pm

"...When Bush called N.Korea an "Axes of Evil" in a context of his promise to fight the American enemies preemptivly anywere anytime by any means including nukes - ..."

I don't think the words "including nukes" were spoken but "using all means", which was specifically linked to "if WMD were used against the US or its allies" would most likely include nukes.

I'll bet Mr. Kim Jong Il realized for the first time that his game was up as far as his nuclear weapons program went when the president included NK in the Axis. That must have been a real "Oh sh!t" moment for him.

If the NKs do now have one or more nuclear bombs, it's obvious that they haven't suddenly developed them since the "A of E" speech. There just hasn't been time.

"...there could not be many different responses from N.Korea..."

I'll still bet that "Oh sh!t" was the initial response. But, there could have been several responses. The NKs could have chosen to share in the relative prosperity of their southern kin by deciding to use their resources for public betterment rather than military expansionism, renounced their nuclear weapons program as they had agreed to do...there were and are lots of possibilities. It's a shame that nuclear extortion is the path they've chosen. Hopefully they'll change their minds before anybody gets hurt.

"..Either capitulate or take up the arms. They calculated they can afford the later..."

The NKs didn't "take up the arms" just when they learned that they were members of the evil club. They already had their nearly 2 million man army and illeagal nuclear weapons program before that. Their people were already starving in order to support that big military force. The NKs are not part of the E club because they were helpless and innocent.

gisterme - 12:53am Jan 6, 2003 EST (# 7408 of 7409)

almarst2002 1/5/03 11:40pm

"...so, how come no one is avare about evidence the US has on Iraq?..."

Probably because the lives of intellegence sources inside Iraq would be endangered if details of that information became public. On this one point, I agree with Showalter. There's no reason to release that info now...Saddam has plenty of rope. Why risk somebody's life if Saddam is likely to hang himself anyway without taking the risk?

Also, if that informaton were released now, the president would have little choice but to go to war. I don't think he wants to do that so long as there's a chance that it can be avoided.

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