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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.

lchic - 11:24am Feb 25, 2003 EST (# 9283 of 9294)
~~~~ It got understood and exposed ~~~~

http://www.dw-world.de/english

gisterme - 02:39am Feb 26, 2003 EST (# 9284 of 9294)

rshow55 - 07:36pm Feb 24, 2003 EST (# 9273 of ...) http://forums.nytimes.com/webin/WebX?8@28.2fDmaf4l4Ex.18530@.f28e622/10799

"...Could it be that the US could "lose face" in a few ways - and get everything that actually matters?..."

Don't see how, Robert. The Iraq issue has nothing to do with the US "losing face". It has to do with Saddam Hussein complying with UN resolutions. If the US could "lose some face" in exchange for Saddam taking down his WMD programs I'd be all for it. That doesn't seem to be something that's likely to happen.

The UN has already lost nearly all of its "face" because Saddam has played it for the patsy for twelve years. The UN will lose the rest of it's "face" and prove itself irrelevant if it cannot even enforce its own resolutions. If the UN can't do that, then what good is it?

UN or not, according to the president, Saddam will be disarmed of WMD.

gisterme - 03:26am Feb 26, 2003 EST (# 9285 of 9294)

rshow55 - 10:05pm Feb 24, 2003 EST (# 9274 of ...) http://forums.nytimes.com/webin/WebX?8@28.2fDmaf4l4Ex.18530@.f28e622/10800

"...Some basic questions have to be asked. For example - who is the bully?..."

Since 1979:

Who invaded Iran? Who gassed the Khurds? Who brutally represses all opposition in his country? Who invaded Kuwait? Who murders, tortures and generally oppresses his people? Who has failed to comply with no less than 18 UN resolutions over the past twelve years while thumbing his nose at the UN? Who is hiding chemical and biological weapons and trying desperatly to develop nuclear weapons? Who is the main pole in the "support for terrorism" tent? Who has the blood of a million souls on his hands?

Saddam Hussein. He's the bully. Being empowered by terror is what bullies do and what Saddam does. That's clear to everybody who has any sense.

"...Who is defending peace, stability, and order?..."

It aint Saddam Hussein, I can promise you that!

Who is demanding that UN resolutions be complied with? The US, UK and Spain at least. Not France, Germany, China or Russia.

Who is willing to force Saddam to comply with UN resolutions and get rid of his WMD? The US, UK and Spain at least. Not France, Germany, China or Russia.

Who are those willing to pay the cost, alone if necessary, to end the senseless opression in Iraq and the the world-wide threat Saddam Hussein's WMD pose? Why, the US, UK and Spain at least. Not France Germany, China or Russia.

France, Germany, China and Russia would apparantly rather wait to pay until the price is much higher. Guess what? Nobody else is going to pay their price for them this time if they wait for the price to go up...and the debt collector will come calling...for payment in blood. If those nations think that they will have nothing to pay if they don't participate, they're sadly mistaken. The Russians should be especially aware of that because of their ongong war in Chechenya. They're already paying.

It's also true that many other nations besides the US, UK and Spain have pledged their support for the liberation and disarmament of Iraq. It's just that the US, UK and Spain are set on a pedestal because they have enough guts to show some leadership in accomplishing a painful but worthwhile thing.

Didn't you know that, Robert?

lchic - 06:27am Feb 26, 2003 EST (# 9286 of 9294)
~~~~ It got understood and exposed ~~~~

'The Russians should be especially aware of that because of their ongong war in Chechenya. They're already paying.' Gisterme

Officially --- there's NO war in Chechenya!

lchic - 06:28am Feb 26, 2003 EST (# 9287 of 9294)
~~~~ It got understood and exposed ~~~~

Since 1979 ....

Any chance of seeing the DOLLAR figure of USA expenditure re Iraq & Iran over the last quarter century? $US_____________

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