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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 - 08:07am May 15, 2001 EST (#3904 of 3906)

rshowalter 5/15/01 7:50am

"But maybe, after discussions, results won't be crazy -- because nuclear issues that have been "on the back burner" too long are being attended to, all over the world."

Aggree.

splitts - 09:38am May 15, 2001 EST (#3905 of 3906)

test

rshowalter - 10:11am May 15, 2001 EST (#3906 of 3906)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

The number of alternative accomodations that would be better than today's, and better than many now feared, is now very large.

Some fears are more than justified, but some are overblown - especially when one considers the pace at which things can possibly happen.

People have time to adjust their heads. People have time to communicate, check, and negotiate carefully. Missile Defense isn't going to come quickly, if it ever comes.

With agreement between the major nations, and a willingness to consider force as one option among a number, on a coordinated basis, "rogue nations" and "rogue groups" could be disarmed, without anyone having to resort to nukes, or anything as fancy, expensive, and cumbersome as missile defense.

But the situation is complex and complicated, and the misunderstandings between parties to be seen on this thread ought to scare people who think about them.

Lies and misinformation, however motivated, or unmotivated, have always been expensive and dangerous, and they are getting more expensive and more dangerous all the time.

I want to take my time to think -- and deal with some other necessary things today -- and I don't know when I'll be back to this thread. An hour or more, anyway. But it seems to me that there's a lot for people to think about -- and a lot, practically, that could be done.

It seems to me that the possibilities of peace and prosperity are better than they've ever been before in the world, and maybe the risks, which are terrifyingly high, are starting to get smaller.

We have time to keep our heads, and do things, if not perfectly, reasonably enough so that results are satisfactory, reasonably fair to all concerned, and safe.

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