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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 - 09:30am Apr 27, 2001 EST (#2650 of 2654)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

Russia in Chetnya, and the US in Vietnam, have had some of the same practical and moral difficulties. md2560: possumdag 4/24/01 7:02pm

The objective of military action needs to be remembered, not forgotten. md2562: rshowalter 4/24/01 7:09pm

rshowalter - 09:37am Apr 27, 2001 EST (#2651 of 2654)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

Core issues about Missile Defense include:

Is it any good at all?

and

If not, how on earth could the idea have gotten so far?

rshowalter 4/24/01 7:47pm
rshowalter 4/24/01 7:49pm

rshowalter - 09:37am Apr 27, 2001 EST (#2652 of 2654)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

In this thread and elsewhere, Dawn Riley and I have worked to focus patterns of human reasoning and persuasion, and problems with human reasoning and persuasion.
rshowalter 4/24/01 7:56pm
rshowalter 4/24/01 8:09pm
rshowalter 4/24/01 8:10pm

rshowalter - 11:43am Apr 27, 2001 EST (#2653 of 2654)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

I feel a need, facing the dark fears and obligations with which this thread deals, to think sometimes of good things, warm things.

Things that make life beautiful.

Gentle things.

Things far removed from the ugly, disproportionate, almost reptilian logic of unlimited war. I feel our world needs more of the virtues people want to live for -- more of kindness, more Mary Poppins , and less Dr. Stragelove.

We need to move beyond the logic of Tyrannasaurus Rex rshowalter 4/8/01 8:22am ....

We need to move beyond the antisurvival, anti-life logic of Dr. Strangelove , and all the Edward Tellers of the world.

Fighting to the death, by all means, with no exits is, so rare in fighting among animals of the same species. It puts humans below other animals.

We need to move away from those who back killing without end, and fights to the death, without exits.

We dare not ignore our fears.

But we should remember some reasons for hope, and for life, and for discipline, that are all-easily forgotten when darkness must be remembered, too.

rshowalter - 11:44am Apr 27, 2001 EST (#2654 of 2654)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

Although I know this is culture bound, I feel like posting this, because it expresses things that most people, whatever their culture, allowing for their culture, feel and value. Most of what people do together is not a matter of detailed and selfish calculation -- we wouldn't be smart enough. Most of what people do, and people enjoy, we do and enjoy because we are sociable, agreeable, beauty loving animals very often.

The Nice http://talk.guardian.co.uk/WebX?14@@.ee79f4e/231 by PETER GOLDSWORTHY

The people I want near

when night falls
are the nice:
those who went

to Sunday School
and still say Grace,
those who wheel meals

from door to door,
unbiographied,
those who wept in Lassie,

and saw it again,
and wept again,
the middle-classed

and all their children,
sugar of the earth.
Of course there are risks

even here,
small but measurable:
lost Guides, bent Brownies

sentimental blokes
who offer sweets from cars.
Or so I've read

Even these I prefer
to find innocent
till proven innocent,

wanting only
to be home before dark
each night, among friends,

all those
on whom depends
the diminishing good of the world:

the shrinking membership
of the Club Nice,
the Club Decent,

even the Club
Goody Two-Shoes,
which I almost believe

would still have me
after all these years.
.

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