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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.

almarst2003 - 02:21pm Feb 22, 2003 EST (# 9218 of 9225)

"Globalization" and its Malcontents - http://www.fair.org/media-beat/030220.html

"Today, the war-crazed Bush administration and the bipartisan majority of enablers in Congress are fervent proponents of what might be called "isolationist intervention." Sure, the present-day American leaders proclaim their global vision and declare that they want to engage with the world, but on their own terms -- with the U.S. government reserving the right to determine its policies in isolation from any nation that fails to offer subservient support. With hefty corporate backing, they insist that the United States has the right to intervene militarily overseas. Why? Because they say so.

The gist of this approach to "globalization" was well expressed by the glib pundit Thomas Friedman, whose 1999 book "The Lexus and the Olive Tree" lauded the tandem roles of corporate capitalism and American militarism. "The hidden hand of the market will never work without a hidden fist," he wrote. "McDonald's cannot flourish without McDonnell Douglas, the designer of the U.S. Air Force F-15. And the hidden fist that keeps the world safe for Silicon Valley's technologies to flourish is called the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps."

almarst2003 - 02:31pm Feb 22, 2003 EST (# 9219 of 9225)

As the USA and UK spend millions in their preparations to wage war on Iraq and NATO countries go on a spending spree to modernise their military arsenals, the World Food Programme has been forced to reduce its Food Aid Programmes in Africa due to lack of funding. http://english.pravda.ru/main/2003/02/21/43602.html

gisterme - 02:58pm Feb 22, 2003 EST (# 9220 of 9225)

Here's a dot to consider, Robert. What traditionally western nation, more than France, should feel sympathy and empathy for the lot of those people in Iraq who are now opressed by their tyrant? After all just over a half-century ago, France found herself beneath the boot of a bloody tyrant.

Why doesn't France now want to see that tyranny in Iraq, similar to what she herself has felt, ended? Are the French saying "It's okay for others to be oppressed but (of course) not for us to be oppressed."?

Poland, on the other hand, who first fell to tyranny under the same brutal boot as France did apparenly hasn't forgotten what it's like to be oppressed. The Poles are willing to do their bit to put an end to the oppression in Iraq.

What is the reason for the difference of attitude between Poland and France?

rshow55 - 04:52pm Feb 22, 2003 EST (# 9221 of 9225)
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.

Gisterme . you wrote some profound, excellent things last night - and you're making important points - though I'm not a bit sure that you're right on balance - and have many of the concerns Almarst has.

Let me make one quick, basic point, just to be clear about it:

If the United States invades Iraq with the sanction of the UN - I'm likely to be as much for it as most of the people in Tony Blair's cabinet.

But that is a big if.

Order is important - and if the world is to get much better than it is - we need better order - under law - than we've got. If we achieve better world order, under a rule of law - an enormous amount of human good is possible (and plainly in the interest of the United States).

The world, with a great deal of leadership from the United States, is taking big steps in the direction of a workable international law. I think things could easily turn out very well - and in ways that would be to the credit of the Bush administration. I don't want to see the chance for that blown.

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