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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?

almarst-2001 - 08:42pm Jul 2, 2001 EST (#6441 of 6444)

rshowalter 7/2/01 8:27pm

Robert,

The reasons for the US behavier before, during and after the Cold War will stay - the fear of the mass and increasing resistance to the the "wild" capitalism, economical and cultural colonialism and global imperialism movements, with or without USSR.

Please fasten your seat belt;)

rshowalter - 08:47pm Jul 2, 2001 EST (#6442 of 6444)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

almarst , I'm not sure I'm less concerned, and maybe I'm not even more optimistic than you are --- your work input indicates hope - and there are hopeful thing happening in Russia, and elsewhere around the world, now.

There is a persuasion job -- and it is a central one. We've made some headway, and I think the chances for a much better future are quite real.

rshowalter - 08:49pm Jul 2, 2001 EST (#6443 of 6444)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

MD4528 rshowalter 6/5/01 9:48pm

Truths that were "somehow, too weak" can become stronger. We're making headway, I believe.

rshowalter - 09:05pm Jul 2, 2001 EST (#6444 of 6444)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

The world has to find effective deterrance patterns that don't depend on nuclear weapons , which are useless, because they cannot be used for any sane policy and that are also very dangerous, because of the risk of accidents, and because of human instabilities.

Non-nuclear deterrance is possible, today.
MD4009 rshowalter 5/16/01 8:32pm

MD4040 gisterme 5/17/01 12:08pm ... MD4043 rshowalter 5/17/01 12:57pm
MD4044 rshowalter 5/17/01 12:57pm .... MD4045 rshowalter 5/17/01 1:06pm

But the US has to learn to act less like NAZIS in crucial ways
MD4046 rshowalter 5/17/01 1:19pm ... MD4047 rshowalter 5/17/01 1:21pm

Missile defense won't work -- but some perfectly feasible and reasonable changes in US behavior would make real peace possible.

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