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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 - 04:04pm Jun 19, 2001 EST (#5460 of 5462)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

MD2357 rshowalter 4/18/01 11:42am reads in part

this came from a Chinese newpaper - and is well worth reading in full.

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200104/18/eng20010418_67992.html

Here it is in part:

Daring to Shoulder Historical Responsibility: Way to Become Big Political Power

" The event of Japan's tampering with the history textbook has stirred up an unprecedented wave of condemnation of Japan by various Asian countries, Italy, which is far off on the continent of Europe, has also shown extensive concern over the matter...

" The event of Japan's tampering with the history textbook has stirred up an unprecedented wave of condemnation of Japan by various Asian countries, Italy, which is far off on the continent of Europe, has also shown extensive concern over the matter. A local media commentary says the revised Japanese history textbook "has stricken fear into the hearts of the people in the once Japan-occupied countries. For the people of various Asian countries, this is just like the German history textbook which denies the Nazi acts of massacre".

. . . . . . .

" A look at Japan shows that its economic strength ranks second in the world, but its political influence is very insignificant. A contrast of Japan and Italy makes it easy for people to see that Japan to this date fails to get the world's forgiveness because it is weighed down by a historical burden, and it is Japan itself that is unwilling to shed this burden. A commentary of the Italian newspaper, the Republic, said, "Many Japanese are dreaming of making their country a 'normal' country which has the recognition of its neighboring countries and possesses political influence that matches its mighty economic strength. However, if Japan does not clear its own history and, instead, relies only on tampering with its history textbook, the dream of Japan will not come true."

" This remark has really come to the point. "

China's violating that advice horribly, and not facing up to its past in an ugly case, in the situation set out in

WHEN LIES KILL In China, the Right to Truth Meets Life and Death by ERIK ECKHOLM http://www.nytimes.com/2001/06/17/weekinreview/17ECKH.html

" An AIDS epidemic in a rural Chinese province is only the latest example of the heavy costs of the controls on information and political choice."

But MANY countries, including the US, and Russia, could also improve both themselves and the world by coming up to the standard this article sets. It seems to me that the most basic problems of military balances and peace, including missile defense, concern facing up to pasts that are distasteful.

rshowalter - 04:06pm Jun 19, 2001 EST (#5461 of 5462)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

It seems to me that both Russia and the US have big problems here -- and the costs of not dealing with these problems are far, far higher than the costs of just facing them.

The US and Russia are each calling on the other to reform.

Could both be right?

Why not?

gisterme - 04:11pm Jun 19, 2001 EST (#5462 of 5462)

rshowlter wrote: "...gisterme made a big issue of a statement of mine, about a picture -- when I said that Putin, as pictured, seemed to be showing discomfort and distaste..."

That's not all you said, Robert. Here's the original post:

rshowalter 6/16/01 1:52pm

You said "pictures" which I presumed to be all or many pictures and especially "video" since video shows far more about the dynamics of body language than any snapshot; after all you were interpreting body language to reach your conclusion. The picture you specifically point out looks like Mr. Putin was caught in a half-blink. You might have saved us both some typing if you'd said what you meant at first. Thanks for the correction.

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