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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 - 07:54pm Sep 11, 2001 EST (#8802 of 8813)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

Today was a tragedy. A travesty.

I happened to go on an errand that took me on a bridge across a divided highway. There was a guy on the bridge, with an American flag, and a sign, that ongoing traffic could see.

. God Bless America .

God bless America. It is good for us to feel, all together, the weight of loss, and vulnerability that this tragedy had produced. It is good for us to give blood, and be generous in other ways.

But we need to do something we generally have not done. We need to also have sympathy for the fear, and the agony, of other people, who have been hurt by us , who have been threatened, and terrified, by us.

We need to do everything we reasonably can to reduce terror in the world. Things that we can actually do.

One of the ways for us to get safety for ourselves, is to find a way to assure safety to others , too.

It seems to me, still today, where so much of human concern, and human hatred is on view, that the concerns in Mankind's Inhumanity to Man and Woman - As natural as human goodness? http://talk.guardian.co.uk/WebX?14@@.ee7b085/0 make sense.

I think missile defense is an important ideal.

The highest ideal is to minimize the chance of missiles harming us.

To do that, we may have to seriously consider reducing the harm we're prepared to do to others.

On this thread, the idea of full nuclear disarmament, with or without a "missile defense" stage, has been much discussed. Almarst , our "Putin stand-in" has been prepared to consider it, if "interdependent" issues can be adressed.

We need to find "Win - Win" situations, where the whole world is safer. As ugly as things are, and as dangerous as things are, it ought not to be beyond the wit of man to do better than we've done.

lunarchick - 07:56pm Sep 11, 2001 EST (#8803 of 8813)
lunarchick@www.com

In comparison to war zones, the USA cities might reflect that their utilities, and communication arteries are in tact. Additionally they have wealth to make povision for the medical and social needs of the afflicted.

rshowalter - 08:02pm Sep 11, 2001 EST (#8804 of 8813)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

Out. I'll watch television for a while. This is a sad day.

But perhaps, if it gets people to pay attention, it may help avert a much sadder day, when the world may be reduced to nothing but a dead ball with no humans remaining, except, for a short while, some rotting unburied corpses.

Which could very well happen. Perhaps even God himself can't protect us, or won't bother, if we are sufficiently callous, insensitive, and stupid.

lunarchick - 08:07pm Sep 11, 2001 EST (#8805 of 8813)
lunarchick@www.com

After the 'what if?' comes the

W H A T N O W ?

rshowalter - 08:28pm Sep 11, 2001 EST (#8806 of 8813)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

Thousands Feared Dead as World Trade Center Is Toppled by JAMES BARRON http://www.nytimes.com/2001/09/11/national/11WIRE-PLAN.html

Horror, Alarm and Chaos Grip Downtown Manhattan by JULIAN E. BARNES http://www.nytimes.com/2001/09/11/national/11CND-SCENE.html

Blasts Deal Blow to Northeast Phone Services by SETH SCHIESEL and SIMON ROMERO http://www.nytimes.com/2001/09/11/national/11CND-COMM.html

We ought to give just a little thought to the bravery, the competence, the discipline, and the hatred, of the people who did this to us. Fear can be a very reasonable response. And a hopeful one. MD269 rshowalt 9/25/00 7:36am

lunarchick - 08:52pm Sep 11, 2001 EST (#8807 of 8813)
lunarchick@www.com

Clinton is looking to leave Queensland to get back to the USA.

There'll be a need for people with good interpersonal relations to meet with the people, when the rolls are called the grief will outpour.

lunarchick - 08:54pm Sep 11, 2001 EST (#8808 of 8813)
lunarchick@www.com

KNIVES common in the days of Solomn, common on the kitchen bench, were the simplistic weapons used by the hi-jackers.

rgbrasel - 09:07pm Sep 11, 2001 EST (#8809 of 8813)
RGBrasel@hotmail.com

My God. . . I don't know what to say, but for those of you who are in New York, my prayers are with you. This is not a time for speculation or placing blame, but for unity. We will prevail.

rshowalter - 09:11pm Sep 11, 2001 EST (#8810 of 8813)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

Dad:

I said I'd call, to say I was all right, but somehow I can't get a phone call through to you. I'm all right now.

Since I've neglected to call you and Mom, so often, just wanted to have a record that, this time, I did try.

Bob

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