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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.

rshow55 - 08:02am Jun 21, 2002 EST (#2652 of 2669)

If there were more columns like the Krugman and Kristof pieces today - perhaps many more - - and if key questions of fact and logic raised were checked and taken to closure in the ways that matter for human action - - many, perhaps most of the problems of the world would "sort themselves out" - by reasonable actions by the groups of people involved, step by step.

Fear of All Sums By PAUL KRUGMAN http://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/21/opinion/21KRUG.html

It is difficult to get a man to understand something," wrote Upton Sinclair, "when his salary depends upon his not understanding it." To make sense of what passes for debate over Social Security reform, one must realize that advocates of privatization — of replacing the current system, at least in part, with a system of personal accounts — are determined not to understand basic arithmetic. Otherwise they would have to admit that such accounts would weaken, not strengthen, the system's finances.

Watch What You Say By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF http://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/21/opinion/21KRIS.html

MD2035-2036 rshow55 5/5/02 3:35pm

There are key questions, again and again, about fact, proportion, and closure - the kind of closure real people need to make decisions. But those questions are only so hard, and progress is being made.

lchic - 03:49pm Jun 21, 2002 EST (#2653 of 2669)

The USA president has an 'elected' office ... that's political. That this position is next linked to that of 'commander in chief' .... limits citizens rights regarding analytical and evaluative comments they might wish to make. If there is separation of powers in Government - then logically there should be a 'real' commander in chief rather than a president acting the role.

lchic - 04:04pm Jun 21, 2002 EST (#2654 of 2669)

Debt of 'just one' American City:

"" .... left New York City facing a $5bn (£3.3bn) deficit
in the financial year beginning on July 1st
^{http://www.guardian.co.uk/elsewhere/journalist/story/0,7792,741504,00.html}

rshow55 - 04:11pm Jun 21, 2002 EST (#2655 of 2669)

Cheney Blames Leaks on Congress Intelligence Chairmen Request Justice Investigation ... By Mike Allen and Juliet Eilperin Washington Post Staff Writers Friday, June 21, 2002; Page A12

September 11 is a massive demonstration of the paralysis that comes from excessive secrecy, and the Bush administration wants to make the problem worse , and the nation weaker - - by suppressing discussion.

. . . I'm moving slowly today - trying to be careful. Was saddened by The New Suicide Bombers: Larger and More Varied Pool By JAMES BENNET http://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/21/international/middleeast/21SUIC.html

Since September, 25th, 2000, I've been arguing for recognition of a fact that can be checked -- and ought to be. It is a fact that if you threaten people too much, they fight - even uncontrollably, even irrationally.

Threats need to be calibrated - not just increased without limit, as Bush seems to think.

Another example:
MD2077 rshow55 5/8/02 7:35am .... MD2088 rshow55 5/8/02 7:35am

lchic - 04:46pm Jun 21, 2002 EST (#2656 of 2669)

The point re suicide bombers is that political rather than 'physical' solutions must be implemented - and the USA has to show impartial leadership rather than sit in the Israeli camp!

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