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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 - 11:50am Apr 25, 2001 EST (#2587 of 2603)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

rshowalter 4/23/01 5:29pm
rshowalter 4/23/01 5:41pm

in this area, the facts are so important that they need to be understood in all the ways that matter for technically, practically right decisions.

Here, the most caring thing we can be is carefully right.

Norman Augustine, for many years head of Lockheed-Martin, is a superb negotiator, and as well connected as an engineer can be to military-industrial matters. Augustine was also for many years head of the Boy Scouts of America , an organization I value (I'm an Eagle Scout). I haven't checked. He may be still. Augustine's life has seemed to be an example, and has been held in public to be an example, of morally solid, professionally solid conduct.

I believe that Augustine recently got up on national television, and used his reputation to defend an indefensible decision about Osprey. Perhaps I'm wrong about that. He could, it he wished, get information to me showing that I am wrong.

If I'm wrong about missile defense, Augustine should know that, and should have many ways of showing many responsible people facts that show I am wrong.

On a sixty billion dollar program, there must be plenty of other people who have good evidence of the merits of the work done, and plenty of ways to establish that, even within the constraints of security rules.

Perhaps there is another explanation for these things, besides the one that occurs to me.

possumdag - 04:26pm Apr 25, 2001 EST (#2588 of 2603)
Possumdag@excite.com

1) Germany are aghast at the audacity of Bwsh.
2) Germany-Berlin have voted out nuclear power stations

In relation to audacity, Bwsh adviced the Chinese that Germany would supply diesel subs to Taiwan. Germany said - "HOW DARE YOU"
They have an agreement with China re trade that specifies they do not supply Tiawan with arms.

In relation to power production, the Ukraine accident of 1986 still has 'fall-out' .. and France noted only this week that areas of their ALPS were and are subject to high radiation levels from it, sufficient to cause thyroid cancer.

The prophacy that Bwsh was bringing 'southern manners/ettiquette' to casa-blanca makes one wonder as to what southern graces consist of ... musing here ... perhaps Bwsh grew up playing strategy-chess with Bgsh where the pieces represented actual countries ... in games it's not necessary to negotiate and ask permissions because games are 'simplification' / not real.

Political strategy from the whitehouse is real, dealing with the real world, real people, real governments (who represent their national populations -- who have input), in REAL-TIME.

possumdag - 05:19pm Apr 25, 2001 EST (#2589 of 2603)
Possumdag@excite.com

On Texas one notes that executions are 300% higher than elsewhere .. this might lever a mind into thinking .. is the environment that is Texas 300% more toxic than elsewhere? Is criminality endemic? Do the 11% AfroAmerican population represent 700% of execution candidates -- if so why? And wouldn't it relate to them needing identity, place and opportunity .. and shouldn't American society be 'shifted' to accommodate all it's people -- rather than have 'outer' groupings.

It's confunting to open one's morning paper to see a neat stainless steel surgery setting 'gurnsey' of death pictured.

On leadership, it was disappointing that the previous governor of Texas showed non, in relation to stopping executions.

possumdag - 05:37pm Apr 25, 2001 EST (#2590 of 2603)
Possumdag@excite.com

Thread GU cold war

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