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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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lchic - 11:13pm Jan 31, 2003 EST (# 8435 of 8449)
~~~~ It got understood and exposed ~~~~

Inspection teams? An irritation, a sideshow. As, indeed, were the weapons of mass destruction. The jokes that these weapons were a mass distraction is a good one. The war was going to happen whether they existed or not; whether Saddam Hussein, if he had them, would use them or not. The fact that there was no connection between Baghdad and the World Trade Centre mattered not a jot. The juggernaut grew in scale and accelerated in momentum - and the rest of the world, most enthusiastically London and Canberra, climbed on board. And the poor old UN fell over itself trying to accommodate the US's zealotry.

Almost every day there was another appalling revelation. Bush told graduates at West Point that the US would, in future, act pre-emptively against organisations and states in possession of chemical, nuclear or biological weapons. Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told NATO that the US would no longer wait for absolute proof of such weapons before taking action. And the Pentagon let it be known that the US was seriously considering using high-yield nuclear weapons on a first-strike basis. As Didion reports, the Department of Defence was talking as early as last June about unleashing, for the first time since 1945, high-yield nuclear weapons.

As the world reeled in shock and dithered in dismay, the arrogance and hubris of Washington grew louder and larger. The President kept upping the ante and public debate, real debate, real analysis, evaporated. It happened in parliament, in the press. And where are the mass rallies? Where are the Vietnam-style marches? In London, they got a bigger crowd to protest proposed laws against fox hunting.

Around the world millions feeling null, void and helpless turn up the volume on their tellies or go shopping. US triumphalism, unilateralism, brooks no arguments, heeds no critics. First Afghanistan - in a war that chased away the Taliban but entirely failed to smash al-Qaida or find Osama bin Laden. And now Iraq. And the juggernaut is ginormous.

Every crazy idea, every brutal strategy, is represented as an inevitable outcome of September 11. Which provided moral clarity. And a blank cheque for political recklessness. And the madness is enthusiastically endorsed by Australia's swelling, posturing army of reactionary ideologues unchecked by a pusillanimous ALP and a confused, impotent Left.

We have seen the insistent use of September 11 to justify the reconception of the US's correct role in the world as one of initiating and waging virtually perpetual war, warns Didion. And, tragically, those in the US - and in Australia - who know that this is not only an immense mistake but truly madness are marginalised and mocked. A few months back, some mild observations had me dragged before the Press Council and the Human Rights Commission. How long before we're dragged before military tribunals?

A third world war may now be beginning. No, not the long-awaited apocalypse that's all over in a few days or hours, but a series of catastrophes as the juggernaut of the mightiest state provokes the hatred and fury of globalised, stateless terror. It's a moot point which side is more dangerous. And I, for one, am in despair.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/

gisterme - 11:16pm Jan 31, 2003 EST (# 8436 of 8449)

- 09:07pm Jan 31, 2003 EST (# 8433...)

"As citizens of the United States, we will finally make our voices heard."

I think you've misquoted the PM, marydrabble. What he really said is:

"As citizens of the EU we can be governened by France and Germany...where they won't understand a thing we say. They've promised that our voices will, however, be heard." :-)

(13 following messages)

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