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.

gisterme - 02:00am Feb 3, 2003 EST (# 8507 of 8536)

ledzepplin - - 06:29am Feb 2, 2003 EST (# 8484...)

"...Therefore I would fund the conventional security organisations such as the CIA and FBI etc., with the Star Wars programmes money until such time as these organisations have real time intelligence gathering capability within the camps of the friends as well as the known enemies before I even worried about missiles from rogue states..."

Until the "bang" that is.

I for one am glad we're not waiting for that.

lchic - 02:06am Feb 3, 2003 EST (# 8508 of 8536)
~~~~ It got understood and exposed ~~~~

Gisterme - trust you read my point on 'Standards'!

gisterme - 02:06am Feb 3, 2003 EST (# 8509 of 8536)

ledzepplin - - 10:42am Feb 2, 2003 EST (# 8494...)

"...However one must not lose sight of the simple fact that such a system can be interpreted by others as being a weapon with the potential for a global imperialism as it could easily have the ability for an attacking capability..."

Only by somebody who has no clue what they're about or what the BMD purpose and capability is.

Your statement would seem to prove you're among that number, zep.

lchic - 02:09am Feb 3, 2003 EST (# 8510 of 8536)
~~~~ It got understood and exposed ~~~~

Can anyone explain the 'psychology' re the USA reaction to the loss of the shuttle ... seems to be a 'big' shock over in the US ---

Australian kids lost their 'Spider Project' .. 12 Spiders were on that flight!

gisterme - 02:19am Feb 3, 2003 EST (# 8511 of 8536)

"...I've reread the correspondence, and the assumptions are reasonable unless one assumes that one is bound to believe the things that people post on this board, merely because they post them - something that I do not believe..."

Then you also belive that folks should feel the same way about your posts? Are you saying that you know in advance that what you post is not to be trusted? It would seem so. Unless, of course, you're applying your double standard again.

I don't feel that way at all. That's because all that posts on these boards amount to are people's opinions. Everybody, at least in America, is entitled to express their opinions for better or for worse, right or wrong.

I'm glad you met with Will. Hope you and your wife had a good time at the museum. I also hope lchic will eat some crow. She owes Will more appology than you do.

lchic - 02:26am Feb 3, 2003 EST (# 8512 of 8536)
~~~~ It got understood and exposed ~~~~

I'm 'Vegie' mate!

lchic - 02:30am Feb 3, 2003 EST (# 8513 of 8536)
~~~~ It got understood and exposed ~~~~

"Everybody, at least in America, is entitled to express their opinions for better or for worse, right or wrong. "

That's a weird thing for an American to say ... check the History of the second part of the Twentieth Century ---

Look at the Hollywood Trials of the Fifties --- how many artists, actors and screen writers had their careers 'altered' by being accused of 'nothing'.

Look at the guys who were shot at Kent University.

Look at the recent films ... where the main players ... have NO input into their biography ... start with 'A beautiful Mind'!

lchic - 02:35am Feb 3, 2003 EST (# 8514 of 8536)
~~~~ It got understood and exposed ~~~~

Repairs to oil infrastructure is not being done in the MEast apparently -- was it Saudi?

Not allowing maintenance will adversely disrupt world oil supplies.

(22 following messages)

New York Times on the Web Forums Science Missile Defense