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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 - 04:58pm Sep 24, 2001 EST (#9849 of 9851)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

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This is a suggestion Dawn and I have thought good, and discussed with one distinguished contributer - almarst.

Under current conditions, it should also include Chinese journalists, and journalists from Islamic nations. The discussion, necessarily, would involve not just missile defense, and not just nuclear weapons, but the interdependent issues on which world security depends, including terrorism.

rshowalter - 04:59pm Sep 24, 2001 EST (#9850 of 9851)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

I believe that such an approach could solve problems, vital to world survival, that might not be solvable nearly as well in any other way.

For such a thing to work, with the journalistic organizations, nation states, and other organizations that would need to be involved, the suggestion could be no more than an exemplar. Something much different, and much better, might evolve from discussions instead. Still, the approach, in my view, could do a great service to the cause of world safety and comfort, and would be first rate journalism - - fully justified as journalism.

If one or more leaders of major nation states wanted this to happen, I believe that it could happen soon.

If someone of the power of Turner, or Soros, or Rupert Murdoch, wanted it to happen, I believe that it would happen, too.

A letter from an editorial officer of The New York Times to some key journalists might suffice to have it happen.

The approach is consistent with the mission statement of the Nuclear Threat Initiative , which reads:

" “ To strengthen global security by reducing the risk of use and preventing the spread of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction. We will also work to build the trust, transparency, and security which are preconditions to the ultimate fulfillment of the Nonproliferation Treaty's goals and ambitions.”

MD8426 rshowalter 9/4/01 11:11am

The Nuclear Threat Initiative is funded by a 250 million dollar gift from Ted Turner. Less than 1% of that endowment would amply fund the effort suggested here.

I don't expect this "miracle" -- or anything like it, to be initiated for a while. Compacency is still strong, and the idea that key issues can actually be checked is too unacceptable. Still, I make the suggestion.

Perhaps, after some more bloodshed, which can now be expected, and some escalation of percieved risk, people might try looking hard at the kind of truth that takes some staffing, some digging, and some discussion.

I think the approach, or one like it, could go a long way towards solving some key problems, discussed on this thread and elsewhere.

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