New York Times on the Web Forums Science

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?

possumdag - 11:23am May 6, 2001 EST (#3356 of 3364)
Possumdag@excite.com

BBC guy (David Chuckman) interviewed Teller @ los Alamos ... ''talk of the threat of the world outside bristling with terrorism .. 'the mind set is in a bunker' .. MD an act of faith ..

Critics : questioned if Sheild would work : rebuked.

Tests : faked

Teller - pushed facts forward (had persuaded Regan) .. gets applause from younger LosAlmos scientist .. will there be another Teller amongst them ? ''

applez101 - 11:33am May 6, 2001 EST (#3357 of 3364)

It should be said that the article was clearly placing Teller in a rather dubious light and one that probably doesn't bear out further investigation. It is true that Teller pushed for development of the hydrogen bomb, and its extensive deployment. However, we can only guess at his motivations. Given Soviet dominance in that research at the time, and their harsh treatment of Hungary, I think it is fair to say that it was a national security priority for the US to develop those weapons at that time.

rshowalter - 11:44am May 6, 2001 EST (#3358 of 3364)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

I posted this on the BBC debate thread:

I'm Robert Showalter, and I've been a main participant in an EXTENSIVE discussion on the New York Times on the Web - Science - MISSILE DEFENSE thread ---- since September 25, 2000 rshowalt 9/25/00 7:32am -- nine looseleaf notebooks full -- . In that thread, very extensive discussions have gone on with people acting as "stand-ins" for senior officials -- a "Bill Clinton" stand in -- a "Vladimir Putin" stand in, and recently, "stand ins" who may be, or be good stand-ins, for, Bush administration officials.

An extensive indexing of the New York Times -- Missile Defense forum is on a Guardian Talk thread, Psychwar, Casablanca and Terror form posting #154 on http://talk.guardian.co.uk/WebX?14@@.ee7a163/158.

Missile Defense, as proposed by the Bush administration, may be well intentioned, and may guide debate in ways that turn out to be useful -- but it is also a technical fraud -- part of a very longstanding pattern of action by a well organized and not completely controlled military industrial complex that the US, and the whole world, needs to bring under better control.

I'd be happy to talk about this. I believe many people who take an interest here might find the thread of interest.

possumdag - 11:44am May 6, 2001 EST (#3359 of 3364)
Possumdag@excite.com

The only thing is, the arms race is just that - a race! Teller pushing hard - just encouraged others to build more 'terror' weapons. Saw 'the cold war' doco TedTurner today re Hydrogen bomb testing. The wind was blowing. 80mls away japanese fishermen were covered - burnt - with ASH from the H-bomb (1000 x stronger than 40's nuclear bombs) ..

A point i make above is that when R&D re MD is done, the 'knowledge' is passed on to opposition - for various psychological reasons - as in coldwar doco in 1950 and ever onwards. So the more development USA makes .. the more 'everybody' knows as secret stuff is leaked to opposition.

possumdag - 11:46am May 6, 2001 EST (#3360 of 3364)
Possumdag@excite.com

Do we have a 'hot link' into the BBC debate ...

possumdag - 11:50am May 6, 2001 EST (#3361 of 3364)
Possumdag@excite.com

A critism of USA just made is : failure of USA to fund organisations (including UN) that can be used to do good things in a wanting world.

rshowalter - 12:08pm May 6, 2001 EST (#3362 of 3364)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/talking_point/default.stm

(2 following messages)

New York Times on the Web Forums Science Missile Defense