New York Times on the Web Forums Science

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?

lunarchick - 01:52am Mar 18, 2001 EST (#1151 of 1158)
lunarchick@www.com

Some interesting ideas for people to pick up on Showalter.

On the 'insurance' issue it would run like this:

A world body with power would demand of any one with missiles that they put a payment in the body's bag/bank. The payments would be very very high ... if a missile were capable of wiping out a country which then demanded re-embursement for land unusable, families dead - chronically ill, dependant, hospitalised. The amount for just one missile would be out of reach of most countries.

Were the regular population to be aware of the payment, the price, the 'madness' .. then they might wish their goverments to get out of the missile nightmare and use that funding in as a functional economic investment that generated societal growth and opportunity.

So if the madness had 'accountability' it would stand up to the test of truth expected by regular citizens.

rshowalter - 09:14am Mar 18, 2001 EST (#1152 of 1158)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

With accountablity on these issues, we'd all feel better, and make more money. Also, we'd have a much better chance of continuing to live. Phillip Taubman did a very interesting piece in the Op. Ed. today. The piece on the Taliban - a creature of CIA funding, is interesting, too.

Sometimes, for a long time, the truth is "somehow, too weak" --- and then time passes, work is done, minds adjust, relationships adjust -- and the truth is not "too weak" any longer -- it becomes accepted, people adjust themselves to the new truth -- and go on.

Go on in better, safer ways --- and pay attention to something else.

I think the survival of the world depends on getting some ugly unfinished business of the Cold War resolved - it isn't time to "go on to something else" yet.

But there is hope.

almarst-2001 - 04:50pm Mar 18, 2001 EST (#1153 of 1158)

Just couple of small observations:

- I wonder why is so little interest and participation in this seemingly importand forum?

- On Cold War lingering mentality - It is common that the looser goes throu major upheaval and revision of its positions, ideas and tactics, leaded to the lost. However, the winner usually sticks to its "winning" mentality and indulge itself in endless arrogant celebration and rarelly adapts to the new reality.

- And again, the main problem is not a nuclear forces. There are enough conventional forces to bring this planet to the stone-age condition. The problem is mistrust and lack of mutual understanding. What are the REAL goals and intentions of Russsia, the US, the Britain, France or Germany? How they envision the World and their plaice in it in a next 25, 50, 100 years? Withoiut trust and full and honest understanding, there will be no real progress.

rshowalter - 07:11pm Mar 18, 2001 EST (#1154 of 1158)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

almarst-2001 3/18/01 4:50pm

You ask profound questions - you are not just offering "small observations?"

the first of the three question is, in its connections, by far the most central and difficult one.

You need, I believe, to understand some psychological and social controls that are different from yours, but no less strong than those in Russia.

I will work as hard as I can, subject to my needs to check myself, on this first question especially, since it is so deeply connected to key problems. I'll be back with a response that I hope is useful in fifteen hours.

If I can answer that question well, many things now at an impasse might move quickly.

In the meantime, just if you have a moment -- can you tell what a "conspiracy" is in American usage, or as and American would understand it, and can you tell how that differs from ordinary business usages that American regard as entirely honest and essential work? I don't need an answer for fifteen hours or more -- and it isn't necessary for you to think of this -- but it is an issue that needs to be understood, to get what you refer to above, so eloquently, as real progress.

I'm not trying to evade your questions. Pardon me for my delay.

almarst-2001 - 08:34pm Mar 18, 2001 EST (#1155 of 1158)

Gulf Arms Bazaar Opens for Business - http://www.newsday.com/ap/text/international/ap168.htm

almarst-2001 - 08:44pm Mar 18, 2001 EST (#1156 of 1158)

In my view, the conspiracy is the case, when the action taken by a legitimate agency or organization is falsely justified and explained while in fact, it is taken to benefit the "hidden string manipulators" and has nothing to do with an official reasonong.

For exmple, a powerful and influential Oil company may ask the US goverment to overturn the legitimate goverment of a small country which is "unfriendly" to its interests and is not willing to give an access to oil fields.

almarst-2001 - 11:50pm Mar 18, 2001 EST (#1157 of 1158)

Massive Spy-Satellite Program to Cost Billions - http://www.latimes.com/news/state/updates/lat_spysat010318.htm

German armed forces ban MS software, citing NSA snooping - http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/17679.html

rshowalter - 06:53am Mar 19, 2001 EST (#1158 of 1158)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

Those are helpful responses, and I agree with what you say in 1156 - though there is more to say. Will be back with more by 10:11 NewYork time.

New York Times on the Web Forums Science Missile Defense