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Missile Defense

Nazi engineer and Disney space advisor Wernher Von Braun helped give us rocket science. Today, the legacy of military aeronautics has many manifestations from SDI to advanced ballistic missiles. Now there is a controversial push for a new missile defense system. What will be the role of missile defense in the new geopolitical climate and in the new scientific era?

rshowalter - 02:23pm Oct 11, 2000 EDT (#404 of 414)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

But nobody wants to talk about it, because there is so much fear, and so much accumulated deception, associated with these weapons.

rshowalter - 05:30pm Oct 11, 2000 EDT (#405 of 414)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

A few hours before the Presidential Debate, I can't think of anything better to do than to direct attention, again, to #370-377, this thread, posted around the time of the last debate lunarchick 10/3/00 2:46am

This includes an appeal, with a truly impressive endorsement list, from the Global Security Institute http://www.gsinstitute.org .

Presidents can kill us all, can destroy the world, by making mistakes about nuclear weapons. Why can't the issue be raised during the debates? Does anybody doubt that Americans know and care about the matter? Movie makers know how much the issue effects our consciousness. So we, as a nation, don't want to hear about it. Still, we should.

Perhaps we will. Here's hoping.

rshowalter - 06:38am Oct 12, 2000 EDT (#406 of 414)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

Nuclear weapons were not mentioned in the debate.

rshowalter - 12:15pm Oct 12, 2000 EDT (#407 of 414)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

CNN is doing a superb job of covering nuclear weapons issues on the web, and a major TV special on the subject will air soon. The Special Report, " Rehearsing Doomsday ," debuts on CNN Sunday October 15 at 10 p.m. EDT. After the show, at 11 p.m. EDT, there will be web chat with The Heritage Foundation's Jack Spencer and The Federation of American Scientists' Henry Kelly about nuclear strategy

Here is a summary of what REHEARSING DOOMSDAY will cover:

For nearly 50 years, the United States and the Soviet Union maintained a "delicate balance of terror." The threat of "Mutually Assured Destruction," or MAD served as a deterrent against the use of nuclear weapons by either side. Though the threat of nuclear war has faded, deterrence remains a centerpiece of American and Russian strategy. Is nuclear deterrence still a sound strategy, or is it an outdated system unable to adapt to a variety of potential enemies?

The web site, http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2000/democracy/ shows truly impressive detail, including superb visuals and supporting information in "Details:" including b"The Nuclear Powers" (map with data) "Nuclear Arms Tracker" and "Nuclear History"

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There are also excellent web specials on CNN

Star Wars, Episode Two With the Soviet Union gone, the nuclear threat is from 'rogue nations'

By Douglas S. Wood, CNN Interactive http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2000/democracy/nuclear/stories/missile.defense/index.html

........................

Broken Arrows and Bent Spears: The frightening world of nuclear accidents

By Bruce Kennedy CNN Interactive http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2000/democracy/nuclear/stories/accidents/

.............................................

Paying for The Bomb: U.S. spent $5 trillion building its arsenal, think tank says

By Bruce Kennedy, CNN Interactive http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2000/democracy/nuclear/stories/paying.for.bomb/

..............................................

at http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2000/democracy/nuclear/views/index.html

there are two opposing essays: Nuclear Deterrance After the Cold War by Henry Kelly , president, Federation of American Scientists

and

Nuclear Deterrance Force Still Essential by Edward L. Warner III Assistant Secretary of Defense, Strategy and Threat Reduction excerpts from testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee , March 31, 1998 .

rshowalter - 12:17pm Oct 12, 2000 EDT (#408 of 414)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

There's also a message board discussion MISSILE DEFENSE DEBATES where I will do some posting. I'll refer to some postings here when I do so.

CNN claims its message board is the most exciting place to discuss public policy on the web.

Maybe only "one of the most exciting." I think these NEW YORK TIMES fora are great.

rshowalter - 02:06pm Oct 12, 2000 EDT (#409 of 414)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

Rehearsing Doomsday has been prepared under the sponsorship of the Global Security Institute http://www.gsinstitute.org .

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