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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?

almarst-2001 - 10:13am Mar 27, 2001 EST (#1573 of 1588)

Back to the nuclear future

The United States and Russia have taken their first real steps out of the”post Cold War world” and into whatever era that will follow, writes MSNBC’s Michael Moran. Nuclear weapons are back. - http://www.msnbc.com/news/402482.asp

rshowalter - 11:21am Mar 27, 2001 EST (#1574 of 1588)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

We better get our FACTS straight.

Here's a fact -- at the levels that are really required for business -- and for trust -- the Russians and the Americans can't talk to each other at all, and it is getting less and less clear that the Americans can talk reliably (and in military matters, reliablility has to be HIGH ) with the NATO nations, or any other nations.

And so much misinformation and isolation has occurred that, in terms of the things that matter most, nobody understands all the things that safety, or reason, would dictate they should understand.

I'm going off, for a little while, trying to do some talking. Be back in 2-4 hours, probably.

Here's a fact that's weighing on me. I'm blocked from all sorts of communications -- and so are many other people, including some nation states, but if the people blocked started talking more effectively together - and in combinations together with the sociotechnical groups that were doing the blocking (a sort of "combined arms" approach) -- a lot might change.

For instance, the OPEC countries are concerned about what to do when the oil runs out -- how do they go on, in a world that must change as time passes? They feel they've been cut off from the things they actually need to meet that world - they're not sure how, or why, or in what way.

Russia is in a similar case -- and is a major oil power. I wonder what would happen if OPEC and Russia got together, to address both problems? It would take a lot of complex cooperation - a lot of communication.

The solution of most human problems requires that.

rshowalter - 01:27pm Mar 27, 2001 EST (#1575 of 1588)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

Had a nice little meeting -- with a seasoned professional negotiator.

He agreed immediately with this:

" at the levels that are really required for business -- and for trust -- the Russians and the Americans can't talk to each other at all...."

Maybe, with a little effort, we could take steps to break down some of the barriers on both sides. Don't know if the meeting I left will help do that -- but if a few such meetings were put end to end -- in various places in the sociotechnical structure of two countries -- we might be able to be safer, and richer. I'll maybe know more tomorrow.

Moran's piece is wonderful. I'll be writing him an email soon.

almarst-2001 - 01:45pm Mar 27, 2001 EST (#1576 of 1588)

rshowalter 3/27/01 1:27pm

Moran is my favored US columnist. Please note the difference from Friedman.

rshowalter - 02:27pm Mar 27, 2001 EST (#1577 of 1588)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

Will be careful to do so. Thanks. And I'll pass it on.

rshowalter - 03:27pm Mar 27, 2001 EST (#1578 of 1588)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

I'd like to repeat rshowalter 3/16/01 1:32pm

I personally would like a chance to apologize for the actions of my country toward Russia since WWII - but when I say that, I'm speaking for myself, not for others.

I was once at a lunch, in Madison, with some distinguished Russian educators. I proposed a toast, thanking the Russian people, whose sacrifices in the Great Patriotic War may well have given me, and others of my American generation, a chance to be born. That toast came from my heart. I personally think the conflict between our coutries has been a great human tragedy. But I can only speak for my own feelings here, not for my country.

lunarchick - 09:31pm Mar 27, 2001 EST (#1579 of 1588)
lunarchick@www.com

Governments are reluctant to say "SORRY" ... this can be seen re the aboriginal peoples of Canada and Australia.

The arguments go that the people of 'now' are not responsible for the events of 'then'.

That all the people of 'now' love the peoples who suffered strife.

That a lot of money has been given as Aide to those people (who of course squandered it! really? yes!)

But the real reason why Governments WON'T say SORRY is because to say SORRY may incur a $cost !

lunarchick - 09:36pm Mar 27, 2001 EST (#1580 of 1588)
lunarchick@www.com

America is full of migrants. How long do people who came from another country identify with it. There are a lot of Russians/descent in America .. how many of them identify with Russia ... if they 'loose' the connection when is it lost.

I hear plumbing and hotwater (domestic) supplies have acted as a matrimonial attractant for Russian Brides over the past decade.
(difussion theory again )

almarst-2001 - 09:57pm Mar 27, 2001 EST (#1581 of 1588)

EU force will not need Nato, says French military chief - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/et?ac=000118613908976&rtmo=qxedLbd9&atmo=qxedLbd9&pg=/et/01/3/28/wforc28.html

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