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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?

possumdag - 07:45pm May 2, 2001 EST (#3083 of 3089)
Possumdag@excite.com

Probably important to get back to the REAL purpose of the Bwsh Policy - money into the coffers of the Bwsh family and friends ... what do they do with ALL this money .. people can only eat so much, pay so much rent, travel so far (if they have a passport) ... why the endless drive to put more and more and more of a country's dollars into the deep Bwsh pockets ? Who has to be paid?

gisterme - 07:51pm May 2, 2001 EST (#3084 of 3089)

rshowalter wrote: "You guys are running a fake, a shuck, and couldn't stand crossexamination. And of course, secrecy is convenient to hide behind.

If NMD people really had something solid, there would be plenty of ways for them to show it..."

Us guys? How many of me do you think there are in here, Robert? Running a fake, a shuck? What ARE you typing about? I'm just answering your posts. Couldn't stand cross examination? That's true of your posts Robert, but please settle down. You said that same thing to speedbird didn't you? This is a public forum, you can ask what you want. Secrecy is convenient to hide behind? Only if you have secrets. Do you have any secrets, Robert?

By "plenty of ways to show it" do you mean ways other than the President of the United States coming right out and saying it? As you contemplate that question, keep in mind that Bill Clinton is no longer president.

rshowalter - 07:52pm May 2, 2001 EST (#3085 of 3089)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

Give them a chance.

I've asked for testing, and a guy who might be able to get it has provisionally offered checking.

Let's see.

"The Female of the Species is More Dangerous than the Male" -- and just now, we want to set things up with male delicacy.

rshowalter - 08:04pm May 2, 2001 EST (#3086 of 3089)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

gisterme 5/2/01 7:51pm

I've felt, and a number of engineers I've talked to have felt that Star Wars was way beyond what was possible. And I've pushed through some numbers, and seen others push through some numbers, that seemed to show that. And I've felt so, and said so, and perhaps I've been wrong, and owe people an apology.

But perhaps not.

The technical issues I raised are all, I believe necessary conditions for technical success (and you put the conditions end to end - and a good way to add them up is using the error analysis of Kline and McKintock, 1954 -- though there are fancy ways that are a little better.)

And the issues I set out can all be handled outside of classified barriers.

Unless you have a specific way around a specific problem stated -- and if you do, there ought to be a way, though the classification curtain, to get that established.

. . . .

The President of the United States, or the Secretary of Defense, doesn't have to "come out and admit" an error -- though I think it might be a glorious day for the United States if he did -- just as I think it would be a fine day for the United States if Bill Clinton faced up to something he did, and did a month or two in jail.

I think Clinton, or Bush, or Rumsfeld, or others, would be more respected if they acknowledged a humanity that, after all, we all have. I feel that if Americans acknowledged their mistakes, that would be great -- and a fine way for that to happen is for leaders to do so.

But that doesn't have to happen in this case.

I feel that what has to happen, someway, somehow, is that we have to get past the Cold War, heal some of its injuries , and set up reasonable security so that the United States and other countried can be safe ---- safer than today.

Someway.

Somehow.

rshowalter - 08:07pm May 2, 2001 EST (#3087 of 3089)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

Just speaking personally, if I thought good efforts were going on to keep the world from blowing up, I'd do my damndest to design the best missile stuff I could. I don't think a missile shield can ever be good enough, but a lot of improvement in air to air and naval defense missiles looks possible.

And a lot of stuff good for the civilian economy, as well.

artemis130 - 08:11pm May 2, 2001 EST (#3088 of 3089)
caveat venditor

set up reasonable security so that the United States and other countried can be safe ---- safer than today.

You ever look at the murder rate of cops in inner city neighborhoods?

You want safe? - move to the suburbs, or hang up the uniforms.

rshowalter - 08:14pm May 2, 2001 EST (#3089 of 3089)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

I've had it for tonight. I'm having a beer.

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