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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 - 07:22am Jun 9, 2001 EST (#4650 of 4655)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

Distinguished efforts, usually long postings, sometimes interesting references, by almarst_2001

MD4504 almarst-2001 6/4/01 11:14pm ... MD4505 almarst-2001 6/4/01 11:14pm
MD4510 almarst-2001 6/5/01 6:39am ... MD4512 almarst-2001 6/5/01 11:00am
MD4513 almarst-2001 6/5/01 11:01am ... MD4517 almarst-2001 6/5/01 3:44pm
MD4520 almarst-2001 6/5/01 6:27pm ...

rshowalter - 07:32am Jun 9, 2001 EST (#4651 of 4655)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

MD4517 almarst-2001 6/5/01 3:44pm seems to me especially important, both because of the clear point of hope it presents, and the serious problems, worthy of human respect, that it enunciates, and that I sympathize with.

almarst quotes from MD4516 rshowalter 6/5/01 1:31pm

" the stance of the Russians has changed. -- They are still interested in total -- or at least near total nuclear disarmament -- but nuclear disarmament, and changes in nuclear balances, must depend on stability and safety for Russia and nations Russia cares about -- in terms of military balances as a whole, including weapons systems and information flows."

"Robert, I was talking from myself only. This position seems reasonable to me."

_____

But almast goes on to set out important human and practical concerns, as follows:

"After the Iraq and particularelly Yugoslavia, I . . . . will be the last person on this planet to trust the US Government. Morover, I deeply dispise what they did, how it was presented by the media and by observing the mostly indifferent or even excited public at large.

rshowalter - 07:35am Jun 9, 2001 EST (#4652 of 4655)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

This is a reasonable position, which Americans, like it or not, should come to understand.

And it is a position that, it seems to me, may be becoming more and more reasonable as the Bush administration turns away, so forcefully, from the patterns on which reasonable trust between nation states must be reasonably based.

The Bush administration is now going to visit leaders of our allies in Europe, and to visit Vladimir Putin -- in a way that deals contemptiously with these great and busy people.

rshowalter - 07:37am Jun 9, 2001 EST (#4653 of 4655)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

Bush Trip Aimed at Winning Over Europeans by JANE PERLEZ and FRANK BRUNI http://www.nytimes.com/2001/06/09/world/09PREX.html

WASHINGTON, June 8 — President Bush will carry few specific proposals when he embarks on his first major overseas trip on Monday, hoping instead that face-to-face encounters will win over Europeans skeptical of his policies and abilities.

"The common European perception is of a shallow, arrogant, gun- loving, abortion-hating, Christian fundamentalist Texan buffoon," said a senior administration official. "They read all the press about a hard-line unilateralist. They really believe this stuff about cowboys. We need to get it all on a higher plane."

Though Mr. Bush and his aides say they are aware of Europe's disagreements with the administration on a range of issues — including the death penalty and the environment — they have been depicting these as problems that could be overcome by the president's charm and personality — as happened, experts note, with President Ronald Reagan nearly two decades ago.

Mr. Bush arrived tonight at his ranch in Crawford, Tex., where he will spend the weekend receiving briefings from his national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice. The briefings are intended to ensure that the president, who has seldom traveled abroad, will be ready to transform himself into a player on the world stage.

(more)

rshowalter - 07:40am Jun 9, 2001 EST (#4654 of 4655)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

The busy and important leaders of great nations deserve straight answers, on specifics, and the avoidance of lies and evasions.

Consider the golden rule . You are a busy executive. Meeting with another world leader, especially the President of the United States, is a lot of trouble, and involves some political capital. The President of the United States comes without any specifics, but assures you that, though he will be "friendly" at the level of remarkably empty and superficial ceremony -- at the level of substance he will keep you in the dark in the ways that matter, and violate any and all of your basic interests if he chooses.

ghstwrtrx2 - 08:50am Jun 9, 2001 EST (#4655 of 4655)
There are two kinds of Christians. Those that accept their faith as a gift, and those who wield it as a weapon.

I have read that antiballistic missiles are akin to trying to hit a BB, with another BB from a mile away.

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