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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 - 10:42pm May 14, 2001 EST (#3872 of 3889)

armel7 5/14/01 9:48pm

And not less impressive the comment;)

rshowalter - 11:07pm May 14, 2001 EST (#3873 of 3889)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

I'm interested, but I've had three beers, and I'll only continue, after some metabolism, in the morning. ......

almarst-2001 - 11:37pm May 14, 2001 EST (#3874 of 3889)

gisterme 5/14/01 9:47pm

"If hispanics wanted to turn California or Texas into Mexico, they would just go to Mexico instead."

If Albanians want to turh the Balkans into Albania, they would just drive all the rest out from there... I am having a bit of ahard time understanding. Is it too late at night?;)

"But those folks are just as proud to be Americans as any other ethnic group."

What does it really mean to be an American? I know with still some imprecision, what does it mean to be Russian. But American? Unless you think in terms of possession of the US citisenship and the right for permanent residency and work. The world is full of immigrants those days. Particularelly the Europe. Why do you fool yourself thinking of the immigrantion in terms of pride. Most people just seek a better material life... and the few even find it.

"If the Serbs and Albanians would adapt the US Anglo-Hispanic cultural relationsip as a model they wouldn't be wanting to burn each other out of their homes."

Aside from the brutal events of even the recent history causing the deep hatered between those, Albanians had by far more legal rights in Kosovo then Hispanics in California or Texas today. Unfortunatly, some albanian extremists did not want lett then the full independence. This and the terrorist acts against Serbian minority (which was a majority in Kosovo before WWII) caused the Serbian nationalistic backlash and the war.

"centuries-old racial bias that existed in the US "

Are you suggesting that not any more?

"two ethnic groups hate each other that they they have a right to slaughter each other?"

Not more then a third party to come to help one of them. Look, this is and was a constant cycle in the Balkans. The foreign powers - the Austrians, the Italians, the Turks, the British, the Germans came to push and encite one group against the other in order to rule the place. They supported and supervised the slaughter as much as they could. The WWII was "very helpfull" in this respect from the Croatian's and Albanian's points. But even they could probably imagine the US siding with them. The "nice" surprise...

"If you see two neighbors trying to kill each other, and you have the power to stop them, should you?"

If you can stand between them in the middle and take a chance being hit by both - please accept my sencire admiration.

If you, the tens of time bigger power, give a knife and side with one to kill the other - shame on you.

"If you intervene and prevent a killing"

The real killing just started after you intervened. And never stopped since then.

"Is it ethical to allow a massacre to win a friend?"

Is it ethical to stage a false massacre to promote your agenda (Nato expansion or oil access or Trepca mines or just economic devastation to grab the assets cheaply)?

If it is a news for you, in the year prior to the bombing, there where about 25 hundred deadth in kosovo - about 700 of them Serbs, most civilians. Many KLA and mafia elements, many Albanian civilians killed by the KLA for not joining them.

It was not before the bombing started, the Albanians flee or.and where driven out of Kosovo.

During the bombing, about 5000 Serbians where killed (NATO claims much less but counts just the civilians). Both the Kosovo and the Srbia where devastated.

In a year after the bombing, about the same number of death recorded - almost all ethnik minorities of Kosovo. Including Serbs, Roma, Turks and Jews. Also some moderate Albanians not ready for the KLA mafia regime. About 2 hundred thousend Serbs and tens of thousends of other minorities driven out of Kosovo. about 15 hundred kidnapped Serbs are officially recorded as of today. Property taken and mafia heaven created. Under the NATO supervision.

In short, massacre or not, the NATO have won a friend it may not like to be too close associated wi

almarst-2001 - 11:39pm May 14, 2001 EST (#3875 of 3889)

gisterme 5/14/01 9:47pm

(continue)

In short, massacre or not, the NATO have won a friend it may not like to be too close associated with pretty soon. But there is no easy way out. Much harder then "humanitarian" bombing from 15,000 ft.

i "Would the survivor have respect for you after he knows you allowed him to kill your neighbor? "

I guess it depends who will eventually survive;) But as for now, you could ask the KLA.

"Would you have respect for yourself, knowing you could have saved your neighbor (even though you might not like him)? "

Whould you have respect for yourself still seeng the events as I see it?

As I stated, never before in my life was I more ashaimed to be associated with and for involunterely supporting of any other country.

almarst-2001 - 11:52pm May 14, 2001 EST (#3876 of 3889)

rshowalter 5/14/01 9:53pm

Robert,

As a scientist, you should know well that the future is always predicted and mapped by extrapolation of the past. That may not work some times (however rearly when taking the long past history), but this is the only way as we know to look into the future.

Give me the reason to think otherwise, please.

almarst-2001 - 11:55pm May 14, 2001 EST (#3877 of 3889)

German missile parts delivered to Egypt via Japan, N. Korea - http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/breaking-6.html

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