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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 - 10:15pm Apr 15, 2001 EST (#2277 of 2278)

Robert,

I aggree that its rather a goal and practically unachievable ideal. All real things would fall between absolute evil and absolute good.

But what I would expect is a honest attempt to acieve the ideal.

There are two reasons for my post:

- Most international coverage by US media, in my view, are way too far from this ideal. May be because most Americans rightfully do not start their daily newspaper from the international news page.

- But, by far more troublesome is the relative uniformity and conformism to the State Dep. and the President's position. Its almost uniform noncritical "patriotism" bordering the nacionalism.

I was shocked how easy it was to paint a foreign nation, most americans probably wouldn't find on the map not to talk about anything deeper, as Evil and submit to hostil acts. On one condition only - NO AMERICAN CASUALTIES and VICTORY BY ANY MEANS AVAILABLE.

One should not forget the effectiveness and terrible results of such PROPAGANDA technick we have witnessed in the last century.

I don't know how well the editorial staff of the major US media outlets can sleep at night.

rshowalter - 10:37pm Apr 15, 2001 EST (#2278 of 2278)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

I probably shouldn't respond (I've shown a typical American response to stress, and had 3 beers) -- but you have a good case.

A case to make.

Don't just try to make it inside the US -- that may be the hardest thing -- make the case to other countries -- and try to immunize them from propaganda (as we'd both use the term) that they've been vulnerable to, helpless against.

To do that, you'll have to act, and your nation will have to act, according to higher standards than the standards you criticise.

From where I sit, and borrowing from an English phrase - - "it shouldn't be beyond the wit of man" for you to do that.

There is a major reason why people should be ready to listen. Nuclear weapons are a nightmare, a menace, and a world-ending accident waiting to happen. Nobody wants that accident to happen.

There is plenty of reason for people to want to face at least enough of the truth to take them down. That would be enough truth to make the whole world a much better place than today, in a lot of ways.

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