Missile Defense

Speaking personally, some of the impasses on this thread are wrenching my guts, making me dispair, but then, I step back and think

"this is going fine - people are talking, disagreements are being set out rather than evaded, there's time for closure, and, after all, we don't have to end up liking each other...

As much as I prefer agreement to disagreement, I must disagree with your pessimism, almarst. While I do agree that the concept of morality and "real politics" may not be able to co-exsist, that's because I believe the two are already inserperable...

On Saddam. You don't like the guy...

almarst-2001 - 06:22pm May 9, 2001 EST (#3614 of 3621)

paulistano 5/9/01 5:59pm

Surely, any nation has a right for self-defense. However, the current state of US military budget and posture is extremely offensive.

Are you suggesting that the fact the U.S...

You could convince some if not for the fact that US after the WWII conducted a very aggressive and criminal affairs, by far more then any other nation I am avare of. Till the end of the Cold War there was an excuse of fighting the other "evil empire". What happend in the last 10 years is purelly a strive to world domination by any means...

"These days, there aren't many places that need "liberation" in the classical sense because there aren't any empires that are unilaterally imposing their will by military force. That's good. "

Do you need a help to count all people's deads due to US crusades after the WWII?..

Of course not, almarst. These days, there aren't many places that need "liberation" in the classical sense because there aren't any empires that are unilaterally imposing their will by military force. That's good...

"...we will live an existence closer to a prison existence in the future, if we're not already there, an existence with no freedom, no pleasure or happiness, and always heavily monitered and heavily controlled."

That's an optimistic vision. Honestly.

I am not entirely convinced;)

"Are we better off with a missle defense system or no missle defense at all?"

And the simple answer would be: Some;)

Don't forget the Big $ to military-industrial complex and the infinite ego of some politicans dreaming of ruling the World.

I did not want to get down to details on any particular case discussed, particularelly since there are separate NYT forums for most of those anyway.

However, as an exercise, let's look at the seemingly "least contoroversial" one - the Iraq.

It may not be a common knowlege, but Iraq never recognized Kuwait - the product of the British Empire deliberate manipulation of its colonized lands to ensure the perpetual conflict...

We need to make peace with "rogue states" and "rogue groups" to the extent that is reasonably possible -- and if it is not, use force to protect ourselves and others.

That doesn't look impossible to me. Though, whatever is done, human beings will remain dangerous animals...

It shouldn't be asking too much to keep groups of people from killing each other, at least most of the time. At least a good enough job to keep human groups from nuking each other, or threatening to.

2. The MD is not a fraud or an attempt to ensure the US world's domination

Here is what I see as the most sensible steps the US and the rest of the World should take:

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