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Missile Defense

Nazi engineer and Disney space advisor Wernher Von Braun helped give us rocket science. Today, the legacy of military aeronautics has many manifestations from SDI to advanced ballistic missiles. Now there is a controversial push for a new missile defense system. What will be the role of missile defense in the new geopolitical climate and in the new scientific era?

dirac_10 - 01:08am Jan 27, 2001 EST (#609 of 636)

rshowalter - 05:57am Jan 26, 2001 EST (#602 of 608)

"The Air Force-funded consortium's plan calls for an actual attempted interception in 2013."

That's not tomorrow.

A scientific engineering analysis?

Well maybe it is all up and running now. In which case, how many politicians have been lied to, about VERY LARGE EXPENDITURES OF MONEY?

Man, are you innocent. How about this. I defy you to point out one single case where we had a secret weapon of any near this importance that was made public?

See if you can find some press releases on the F117 or the SR71. Or the Atomic Bomb, or radar, or any secret weapon.

Seems you are fresh out of engineering reasons.

I'd be glad if we did have a successful missile defense.

Thank God for that.

Maybe the failed tests that got so much publicity were "disinformation" to confound an "enemy" of ours. To what purpose?

What purpose? Why would we keep our secret weapon secret from our enemies? What purpose would it serve?

Too much.

Nuclear stability requires information, not secrecy.

Oh sure, we send blueprints of our H-bombs to all our enemies so things will be stable.

Riiiiight.

Completely abandoned the notion of giving any engineeering reasons I notice.

And after all that talk about what a swell engineer you are.

Now why is that?

rshowalter - 08:54am Jan 27, 2001 EST (#610 of 636)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

In my view, this is an admirable, pro-active, sophisticated decision.

http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml;$sessionid$MFTBCJYAALPDOCRBADLCFFAKEEANOIV2?type=topnews&Repository=USTOPNEWS_REP&RepositoryStoryID=%2Fnews%2FIDS%2FUsTopNews%2FNEWS-BUSH-LEADALL-DC_NEW.XML

Bush Says to Meet Pledge to Cut Nuclear Arms

Last updated: 27 Jan 2001 03:14 GMT (Reuters)

Reuters Photo By Randall Mikkelsen

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush said on Friday he will honor a campaign pledge to unilaterally reduce the U.S. nuclear weapons arsenal, suggesting it could affect the course of arms control relations with Russia.

"I think it's important for us, commensurate with our ability to keep the peace, to reduce our nuclear arsenal on our own, and I'm going to fulfill that campaign promise," Bush told reporters at a White House meeting with governors. "We'll see how that affects possible arms talks."

Bush said during his campaign that the United States could cut its nuclear arsenal beyond limits in existing treaties without hurting national security.

Russia is regarded as wary of unilateral U.S. nuclear weapons cuts, out of concern they could reduce pressure for negotiated, binding treaties and give the United States more freedom to develop a national missile defense system.

The United States and Russia are already committed under the START II treaty to slash their nuclear arsenals from more than 6,000 deployed weapons to 3,000-3,500 weapons by 2007.

Putin has suggested that Russia, which is finding it difficult to maintain its nuclear arsenal because of economic problems, was willing to cut its arsenal further.

Bush also reiterated Friday, in his response to a reporter's question on his approach to Russia and arms control, that he has vowed to deploy a missile defense system, which Russia and China strongly oppose.

"I want America to lead the world toward a more safe world when it comes to nuclear weaponry. On the offensive side we can do so, and we can do so on the defensive side as well," he said.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told a Pentagon press conference the administration was committed to a national missile defense, to protect against potential threats from states such as North Korea, Iran and Iraq.

The Russians must realize a missile defense was not a threat aimed at Russia, he said. "I think it's something that's manageable. I don't know quite how it will be managed."

Bush's comments were his most substantive remarks on foreign policy since his inauguration last Saturday. Russia has expressed eagerness to begin a dialogue with the United States on arms control and other issues, but Bush wants to review U.S.-Russia relations first.

"Our relationship with Russia is very complex. We are going to be doing a comprehensive review, we want to address all issues," said White House National Security Council spokeswoman Mary Ellen Countryman.

Putin wrote a letter to Bush this week expressing a willingness to "deepen interaction" between Russia and the United States. Putin said in a major foreign policy speech on Friday that he had seen signals from Bush that relations between the two countries could be positive.

A top aide to National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice said last week he saw "a real opportunity" to reach some kind of accord with Moscow on the missile defense issue.

Bush said he had not yet responded to Putin's letter.

Secretary of State Colin Powell, asked when the United States could begin a dialogue with Putin, said, "In due time."

State Department spokesman Richard Boucher told a news briefing that Powell had received a letter from Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov Wednesday, saying he looked forward to meeting Powell soon. Powell agreed they should "get together," Boucher added, but suggested no date for talks.

Powell and Ivanov would have a "positive and pro

rshowalter - 09:00am Jan 27, 2001 EST (#611 of 636)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

Reuters story continued . . .

"Powell and Ivanov would have a "positive and productive relationship, but one that deals with all the issues of cooperation, as well as the areas where we disagree," Boucher predicted. He noted it would bear in mind U.S. concerns about the conflict in Chechnya.

"On Friday Bush held swearing-in ceremonies at the White House for Powell and Rumsfeld, who were officially sworn in last Saturday.

"Bush praised Rumsfeld as an expert on missile defense. "We will work to defend our people and our allies against growing threats: the threats of missiles, information warfare, the threats of biological, chemical and nuclear weapons," he said.

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