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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 - 12:21pm Mar 9, 2001 EST (#885 of 891)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

I'm very concerned that current nuclear weapons, and controls, taken together, could end the world.

I've been concerned enough to try to persuade people to take care - check circumstances, and do the things that are safe. I've worked at it. I've done so in this thread, and also elsewhere.

The Guardian-Observer in London has some very fine, well moderated talkboards, mostly used by journalists, writers, and politicians. If you searched "rshowalter" at this site, you'd see the postings I've made there, that are still up (about half of my postings over time.) Here is a list, with hotkeys, of thread in which I've been especially interested.

Environment/

how long do you give this planet of ours? http://talk.guardian.co.uk/WebX?14@@.ee7a59d/0

Europe/

We need an international missle system now - Why 'son of Star Wars' is a good idea. http://talk.guardian.co.uk/WebX?14@@.ee7ed47/0

In our own little way maybe the TALK has provided the answer.. http://talk.guardian.co.uk/WebX?14@@.ee7f358/0

the strange surreality of present day America http://talk.guardian.co.uk/WebX?14@@.ee7f3f8/0

History/

If jesus were alive today.... http://talk.guardian.co.uk/WebX?14@@.ee7ec3f/0

International

Emotional Peace in the Middle East http://talk.guardian.co.uk/WebX?14@@.ee795fc/0

Psychwarfare, Casablanca -- and terror http://talk.guardian.co.uk/WebX?14@@.ee7a163/0

Issues/

Mankind's Inhumanity to Man and Woman - As natural as human goodness? http://talk.guardian.co.uk/WebX?14@@.ee7b085/0

Politics/

Moral philosophy and politics. http://talk.guardian.co.uk/WebX?14@@.ee7ba3f/0

Politics/

The abortion debate http://talk.guardian.co.uk/WebX?14@@.ee7e670/0

Science/

Paradigm Shift .... whose getting there? http://talk.guardian.co.uk/WebX?14@@.ee7726f/0

Excessive dietary calcium causes osteoporosis http://talk.guardian.co.uk/WebX?14@@.ee7bdab/0

Does anyone believe that life with all its wonders originated from the accidental collision of atoms? http://talk.guardian.co.uk/WebX?14@@.ee7f0c5/0

The arts/

There's Always Poetry http://talk.guardian.co.uk/WebX?14@@.ee79f4e/0

The Haven/

Dead Poets Society http://talk.guardian.co.uk/WebX?14@@.ee74d94/0

rshowalter - 12:23pm Mar 9, 2001 EST (#886 of 891)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

After a short discussion, I'll post a more complete partial list of the Guardian Talk sites I care enough to subscribe to. --- a list of a very tiny subset of the sites on the web, and a small subset of the sites that I, in fact, can access in seconds, from my existing files. I have a number of reasons for citing them --

a point about cryptography;

tactical and strategic vulnerabilities,

the many computer analogs of the mole problem in intelligence services,

and

difficulties human beings can have with speed and multiple challenges that are, in some sense, contradictory.

Heres are easy questions with answers that ought to make complacent military people uneasy:

. How many ways might a list with similarities to this list be used, in coordinating an attack, or in conveying information clearly to some people while misleading others people?. (This question is especially interesting if physical interventions are being coordinated, and some of the coordination involves machines, and some people.)

. How many ways could such a list be combined with other means, to produce attacks, or distractions, or combinations of attacks or distractions?

. How fast could events be made to unfold?

. Suppose challenges go on for a long time, with many false alarms?

We know that people, even careful and well trained people, can perform poorly under complicated or unanticipated circumstances Admiral Says Sub Captain Did Not Act Criminally

These issues are not abstract -- people are using these techniques, and these techniques are evolving. 3 Men Are Charged With Fraud in 1,100 Art Auctions on EBay ..... by JOHN SCHWARTZ and JUDITH H. DOBRZYNSKI

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