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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?

gisterme - 02:31am Sep 6, 2001 EST (#8540 of 8548)

rshowalter wrote: (rshowalter 9/5/01 8:20pm): "...What's needed is to end patterns of agressiveness, in the US, that are now coming to light, and that much of the whole world is now reacting against.

If they were ended, in workable ways, enormous progress toward peace would be possible. This thread illustrates that."

What ARE you talking about, Robert? We are at peace! Nobody's invading us, we're not invading anybody else. Except for the occasional blasting of a few radar sites in the Iraqi desert when they shoot at our planes there's very little unpeaceful going on that the US is involved with. Those hardly amount to a war. Despite all his vitriol, Saddam can't even provoke those attacks very often. He's only a big fish in his own little pond. All that whole deal's about is keeping the fish from developing WMD that he would surely use on others. Personally, I have no problem with that. If that @sshole were gone there'd likely be no problem at all there. Unfortunately he hasn't changed his attitude since his brutal invasion of Kuwait. Too bad.

But what's all this world reacion to the unspecified "agressive patterns" you're talking about? I hadn't noticed...

rshowalter - 02:33am Sep 6, 2001 EST (#8541 of 8548)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

Great to see you here, gisterme. If we had good communication here, much good might come. Almarst has been trying to communicate with you, on this pattern of issues, for months.

Let do a posting, and get back to you. . .

rshowalter - 02:34am Sep 6, 2001 EST (#8542 of 8548)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

Economic returns depend on investment decisions based on information that turns out to be correct.

In a complex world, good economic growth takes right answers --- and many of them -- and the cost of misinformation is typically huge.

The U.S. has recently made decisions (including those of the "bubble" in high tech) based on misinformation that have been very expensive -- and it is showing the world how degenerate its decision making often is by backing missile defense programs that can't work. And not checking.

Cold War constraints on openness (which permits things to be checked, and makes good decisions much more likely) are expensive in every way. We've set up a situation of constraints that is limiting the United States.

You need a reframing when, under old systems, there is no solution for reasons that involve the human system , not unchangeable fundamentals. MD8300-8301 rshowalter 9/1/01 3:52pm

rshowalter - 02:46am Sep 6, 2001 EST (#8543 of 8548)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

I'm proud of advice I gave about economic rates of return and reliability of estimates in
MD1392 rshowalter 3/23/01 5:28pm ... MD1395 rshowalter 3/23/01 5:36pm
MD1396 rshowalter 3/23/01 5:38pm ... MD1397-1409 rshowalter 3/23/01 5:41pm

Especially

MD1405 rshowalter 3/23/01 6:37pm

MD1407 rshowalter 3/23/01 6:47pm

and

MD1409 rshowalter 3/23/01 7:10pm

The United States needs to understand these things better, too.

lunarchick - 02:56am Sep 6, 2001 EST (#8544 of 8548)
lunarchick@www.com

... very interesting - reading back over those posts Showalter .. Russia has come a long way this year .. and their returns on investment are attractive - moreso than USA currently

rshowalter - 02:59am Sep 6, 2001 EST (#8545 of 8548)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

gisterme 9/6/01 2:31am

your question is a hopeful one, at one level, but at another, somewhat daunting.

It as if you haven't understood the main subject matter of almarst's concerns on this thread, over months.

Here's a time I wish I had the search engine that used to be here back. It would make responses faster.

Almarst's said, for instance, that if it had not been of the "humanitarian bombing" (his phrase) of Serbia --- much more might be possible -- and he was talking about much more complete reconfiguration to peace. (And he wasn't just talking about the absence of shooting -- he was talking of the threat of war, as well.)

And I think it is clear that the Russians feel threatened by US actions, pretty generally. As, for many decades, we wanted them to be.

The Russians do not feel comfortable with an American military power above the law, and often employing deception.

I was doing some sleeping, got up to check the computer, and feel that, to do your question justice, I need some time -- even some more sleeping.

I also think that the best responses might come from almarst , and hope perhaps he does respond. Back in the morning with a good deal more - - .

If there was a "meeting of the minds" on the question you raise, gisterme 9/6/01 2:31am much would be possible.

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