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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 - 05:07pm May 10, 2001 EST (#3660 of 3682)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

Good news !

U.S. Informs South Korea of Plans to Resume Talks With North by DON KIRK http://www.nytimes.com/2001/05/10/world/10KORE.html

possumdag - 05:17pm May 10, 2001 EST (#3661 of 3682)
Possumdag@excite.com

Health and Safety and Protective Clothing:

It seems the British used UK and Australian people to test protective clothing in real nuclear situations.

How indebted those human guinea pigs must be !?!

rshowalter - 05:42pm May 10, 2001 EST (#3662 of 3682)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

It wasn't only the Commonwealth countries that used people as test animals.

An estimated 235,000 U.S. servicemen were exposed to nuclear weapons testing during military duty between 1945 and 1960. The people who gave the orders knew there were risks, but wanted numbers. http://talk.guardian.co.uk/WebX?13@@.ee79f4e/758

Let's hope that we can arrange things so national leaders never feel the need to make such terrible choices again. And let's arrange communication so that they can't.

possumdag - 05:42pm May 10, 2001 EST (#3663 of 3682)
Possumdag@excite.com

The above raises the question:

did scientists understand the nuclear animal

if so, was there a loss of transmission of understanding and comprehension re nuclear matters between the scientists, the army/navey/airforce staff, and the ordinary enlisted person who was told to stand in the fallout cloud.

wasn't 'nuclear' understood by 1946 throught he general world social community ?

any explanations here .. or do enlisted just 'do as they are told' without 'thinking for themselves' ?

possumdag - 05:46pm May 10, 2001 EST (#3664 of 3682)
Possumdag@excite.com

Showalter: I read the link http://talk.guardian.co.uk/WebX?13@@.ee79f4e/758 so many people drafted into 'death' works ... no job satisfaction ... and the sure knowledge that the radiation will creep up on them over time.

possumdag - 05:49pm May 10, 2001 EST (#3665 of 3682)
Possumdag@excite.com

.. have commitments ..

a further point. The 'news' put out info re the Bwsh sheild without any reference to checking if the concept is workable. News agencies must rely on 'another souce' putting out counter information that moderates the news .. perhaps scientists against this stuff should put out press releeases.

'Homepage' is the latest virus - Sweedish courts shut down!

applez101 - 06:25pm May 10, 2001 EST (#3666 of 3682)

On (ab)use of enlisted people during atomic development:

well, one thing can be said at least - it was good science! :)

gisterme - 07:46pm May 10, 2001 EST (#3667 of 3682)

applez wrote: "...well, one thing can be said at least - it was good science! :) ..."

And every guinea pig that might disagree seems to be missing... :-)

rshowalter - 08:02pm May 10, 2001 EST (#3668 of 3682)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

The fear of nuclear destruction was so great, in those times, that many thoughtful people felt that they had to do terrible things. I understand that more thoroughly than many others might.

Well, if we can talk to each other, and sort some things out, and make some decent decisions, then people won't be in a position like that any more.

We need to find ways to accomodate for LIFE -- not death.