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Missile Defense

Technology has always found its greatest consumer in a nation's war and defense efforts. Since the last attempts at a "Star Wars" defense system, has technology changed considerably enough to make the latest Missile Defense initiatives more successful? Can such an application of science be successful? Is a militarized space inevitable, necessary or impossible?

Read Debates, a new Web-only feature culled from Readers' Opinions, published every Thursday.

lchic - 01:09am Apr 22, 2002 EST (#1645 of 1654)
USA - Missiles - Transparency --- really?!! NO! Not really.

Extremely good references above. It seems there is 'thinking' happening regarding the current sanguine quagmire in international affairs.

Generally - the electorate know and understand domestic affairs via their hip pocket nerve or personal cash liquidity wrt their costs for living, incomings and expenditures.

International affairs - people don't understand. Too many foreign countries with unfamiliar sounding names run by lists of everchanging people. Too much propaganda labelling various groupings in politics good/bad-corrupt. Too many media reporters who don't understand what they are commenting on - or - who follow the bias of their paymasters.

A framework has to be developed to more easily assit people in their thinking and understanding.

All people in the world in all countries have to be assigned a 'value'. People who live within a poor economy can't be discounted as of less worth and value than those within a rich economy. People in rich economies have to have checks and balances that can be exerted on their leadership that monitor and evaluate actions and alliances.

The Observer _{http://www.observer.co.uk/0,6903,,00.html} is in 'thinking mode' this week with good in-depth thoughtful coverage.

Dan Plesch's article (above) is taking a good hard look at the Bush foreign policy.

To my mind there is a real problem with the American 'Presidential' system, where one person hops (like Skippy) from nowhere imparticular - but with strong financial backing - assembles a team of 'no-ones imparticular' ... and that's it, these become the most powerful and influential people in the whole-wide-word ... no-credentials imparticular ... no-positive philosophy necessarily ... and bam wham caput --- the whole darn world is fighting and in chaos - people are weeping and wailing, and the Funeral business is booming!

"Don't make sense - Do it?"

Time that USA Congress got it's act together and started to FUNCTION in the way it was intended!

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Alex has his framework for understanding >> Dan's your man - oil http://www.observer.co.uk/comment/story/0,6903,564525,00.html

lchic - 05:38am Apr 22, 2002 EST (#1646 of 1654)
USA - Missiles - Transparency --- really?!! NO! Not really.

"" the shock of the right-wing rise does little credit to France's international standing, its political constitution or, most of all, the quality of its politicians ...bound to have implications for France's standing in Europe and its ability to tackle the economic structural reforms which are badly needed if it is to regain strong economic growth. But it also has implications for politics across Europe, including Britain. France, of course, is unique in its politics, as in its society. The presidential system bequeathed by General de Gaulle, with its artificial separation of foreign and domestic responsibilities, is looking increasingly ropy in a global age. http://argument.independent.co.uk/leading_articles/story.jsp?story=287507

almarst-2001 - 06:10am Apr 22, 2002 EST (#1647 of 1654)

Dan Plesch - Good thinking.

The OIL, as during the last Century, continues to shape the UGLY World policies today.

Time to think and and REMEDY. Clean, Renewable and LOCAL independent energy supply MUST be developed if we are to see a better World.

almarst-2001 - 06:21am Apr 22, 2002 EST (#1648 of 1654)

"France, of course, is unique in its politics, as in its society."

May be. But the real problem of integration the disparate Economies and Cultures into a RIGIT Erope is bound for troubles.

The cheap highly educated and PROUD Human Capital of the Eastern Europe COLLIDES with the BRUTAL financial Capital and overpriced rich Western Job and Goods Market. This conflict CAN'T be underestimated.

The Germany is on the line. In fact, I expected the Germany to hit the wall first.

almarst-2001 - 06:45am Apr 22, 2002 EST (#1649 of 1654)

Mideast powderkeg lies along an ominous global fault line - http://www.nationalpost.com/news/world/story.html?f=/stories/20020420/701251.html

almarst-2001 - 06:50am Apr 22, 2002 EST (#1650 of 1654)

Saudis Desperate for Russian Help - http://www.stratfor.com/fib/topStory_view.php?ID=204195

May you live in an Interesting Times;)

almarst-2001 - 07:01am Apr 22, 2002 EST (#1651 of 1654)

That ethical vision chart looks pretty blurry - http://www.dfw.com/mld/startelegram/news/columnists/molly_ivins/3103545.htm

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