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Missile Defense

Russian military leaders have expressed concern about US plans for a national missile defense system. Will defense technology be limited by possibilities for a strategic imbalance? Is this just SDI all over again?

rshowalter - 12:48pm Apr 24, 2001 EST (#2554 of 2567)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

rshowalter 4/20/01 6:43am

possumdag - 05:04pm Apr 24, 2001 EST (#2555 of 2567)
Possumdag@excite.com

EU ready to take hard line on Israel

'The EU is also likely to cold -shoulder Israeli attempts to secure enhanced cooperation in science and technology. '

Can the EU peer-group bring Israel into line ?

possumdag - 05:22pm Apr 24, 2001 EST (#2556 of 2567)
Possumdag@excite.com

ST Petersburg : don't know if Alex ever made it to that city?

Peter the Great's Grand_Tour of Europe was the embryo for the idea of a great city ... Saw an interesting documentary on St Petersburg, the Russian City closest to Europe. The ideas and archetecture of the 17C onward are manifest, and manifestly beautiful.

That same process, of garnering the best, continues today but the simple technology has been replaced by the more complex, as with the increasing complexities of society.

possumdag - 05:31pm Apr 24, 2001 EST (#2557 of 2567)
Possumdag@excite.com

Edison not Tesla?

possumdag - 06:37pm Apr 24, 2001 EST (#2558 of 2567)
Possumdag@excite.com

Japan: the people know they have to clean up Japan, this new leader ... cousin of Richard Gere?! :) is setting out to do the clean up ... and the people back him --- because they know it has to be done. [same for Russia ?]

""Japan's next PM promises rocky road

Japan's next Prime Minister has promised rocky times ahead.

Junichiro Koizumi who today was elected leader of Japan's governing party says he expects the world's second-biggest economy to get worse before it gets better.

Koizumi has says he will proceed with his plan to clean up Japan's banks even if it throws Japan's economy into reverse for a while.

He says as well he will pay a prime ministerial visit to Tokyo's Yasukumi War Shrine which houses class-A war criminals.

The maverick independent who won today's vote by campaigning directly to the party's membership lists as one of heroes the ex-leader of a heavy-metal rock band X-Japan.

Koizumi has set up a museum commemorating the life of the lead singer who died at age 33.

Koizumi will be sworn in as Prime Minister on Thursday or Friday, most probably announcing a new, younger Cabinet line up on Monday.

Mori

Meanwhile, the outgoing Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori has won a libel suit against a magazine which reported he had been caught in a police raid in a brothel four decades ago.

The judge found that the magazine and its publisher had defamed Mr Mori because the allegations could not be proved.

He ordered the magazine to pay $50,000.

Mr Mori had been seeking more than $150,000 in damages and an apology.

The court had instructed the police to submit its records on Mr Mori in connection with the allegation, but the police had refused raising speculation of a cover up.

possumdag - 06:55pm Apr 24, 2001 EST (#2559 of 2567)
Possumdag@excite.com

wonder if the new guy will find time 'to party' at the Aussie embasy!

Perhaps he'll wear a trilby! "Death," wrote Robert Louis Stevenson, "is knocking at the door. Let him knock, we have other things in mind."

possumdag - 07:02pm Apr 24, 2001 EST (#2560 of 2567)
Possumdag@excite.com

Russian army seems neither fair nor disciplined: http://www.nytimes.com/2001/04/24/world/24RUSS.html ... a way for improvement is to 'fine' the top person in the army ... the message would soon perculate down regarding behaviour. The world will soon be asking the question "If Russia can't be fair and give reasonable leadership to Chetnya, then some other international-body ought to assist these people back from half-life to real -life."

rshowalter - 07:04pm Apr 24, 2001 EST (#2561 of 2567)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

possumdag 4/24/01 5:04pm I think the collective opinion and action of EU can make a big difference on many things. Israel is one of the less "persuadable" states, because it is facing a struggle for existence. And needs to find solutions consistent with that existence.

Most of the other states in the world, it seems to me, are likely to be rationally receptive to arguments and pressures from EU. That would include Russia, the Koreas, Japan, India, Pakistan, the United States, and many other countries.

To the degree that EU asks for reasonable things, in clearly stated and understandable ways that fit mutual interests, and fit checkable facts, I believe EU can be influential. And a force for good in the world.

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