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?

dirac_10 - 02:25am Jun 21, 2001 EST (#5651 of 5676)

lunarchick - 12:06am Jun 21, 2001 EST (#5641 of 5650)

Starting with the Greeks ... ?

Well, the Greeks were rather short on democracy. The Athenians only stood out because of the rather brutal dictatorships everywhere else.

But democracies are spreading fast. And the US is finally really helping, after the Cold War.

That, and interlocking trade, may save us from war and the fundamental evil of science. Maybe not.

lunarchick - 07:54am Jun 21, 2001 EST (#5652 of 5676)
lunarchick@www.com

On a contemporary basis - the Greeks WERE democracy!

lunarchick - 07:57am Jun 21, 2001 EST (#5653 of 5676)
lunarchick@www.com

There are similarities between Mr. Bush's predicament and that of his father. As is the case today, when the elder George Bush was president, Americans said the country was veering dangerously off on the wrong track — and there was a widespread feeling that he was not focusing on issues of import to most Americans.

"He scares me and I'm uneasy about his approach to foreign policy," Jim

Conflict of Interest:

Respondents were suspicious of the administration's energy priorities because of links between the oil industry and Mr. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. Nearly two- thirds of Americans, including a plurality of Republicans, say that Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney are too beholden to oil companies, and that they are more likely to formulate policies that favor the industry.

lunarchick - 08:30am Jun 21, 2001 EST (#5654 of 5676)
lunarchick@www.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2001/06/21/opinion/21LIEV.html

lunarchick - 08:52am Jun 21, 2001 EST (#5655 of 5676)
lunarchick@www.com

http://www.newscientist.com/letters/letters.jsp?id=ns229625

almarst-2001 - 08:56am Jun 21, 2001 EST (#5656 of 5676)

Dirac - "Been there and done that."

Being where and done what?

lunarchick - 09:10am Jun 21, 2001 EST (#5657 of 5676)
lunarchick@www.com

Alex:

'been there done that' is just an idiomatic statement ... means that .. well, say something suggested is already encompassed within a person's experience .. then they become blase about it.

Implies that the person is further looking for new to them, or innovative, experiences.

almarst-2001 - 09:14am Jun 21, 2001 EST (#5658 of 5676)

lunarchick 6/21/01 9:10am

Understand... But can I pretend not to?;)

Dirac - Being there and done that? - Guatemala’s Death Files" - http://www.consortiumnews.com/052699a1.html

almarst-2001 - 09:19am Jun 21, 2001 EST (#5659 of 5676)

Dirac - Being there and done that? - Iraq claims air strikes kill 23 on football pitch - http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/story.jsp?story=79299

Iraqi television shows TV footage of US and British bombing - http://sg.news.yahoo.com/010620/1/13pr5.html

lunarchick - 09:20am Jun 21, 2001 EST (#5660 of 5676)
lunarchick@www.com

ON national strategic considerations, the new communication systems are of concern to NationStateIndustry&Commerce .. because of data gathering (espionarge) by, for example, the USA .. who monitor all communications over Europe.

Commerical enterprises see this as spying, in that, were matters of 'competitive advantage' or 'specialist process' picked up by the USA and later integrated into USA production process .. then the USA gains advantage -- by unfair means.

Australia has the problem this week - in the global village - in that the STATE of Singapore want to buy a communications system (formerly cable&wireless, formerly Optus) .. if this happens then commerical interests would serve their own interests by moving to the National Communications Carrier. Additionally Singapore have their sights set on one of the two Australian Airplane companies ... stopping QANTAs from expanding ... and not wanting the less profitable routes.

So Free Trade - can be a threat to the viability of a Nation State.

(16 following messages)

New York Times on the Web Forums Science Missile Defense