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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?

rshowalter - 06:36pm May 15, 2001 EST (#3933 of 3936)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

Thinking about the problems Almarst has raised, for example, concerning very deeply felt distrusts and anxieties on Russia's part -- it seems to me that so much is involved, and so much goes so deep, that some depth of staffing might be useful, or maybe essential, to come to a focus on what might be both practical and rightly shaped to handle Russia's real, and deep practical and emotional concerns.

Dealing with some American Republicans might usefully involve some staffing, too -- so that concerns can be understood, and adressed, rather than dismissed.

If perchance, my suggestions for journalists are too far to the left for somebody's taste, some journalists farther to the right would be more than welcome.

I think something along these lines is actually practical, and is getting to the level where it might be discussable with some journalistic powers.

possumdag - 06:39pm May 15, 2001 EST (#3934 of 3936)
Possumdag@excite.com

Russian & UN top cockies are meeting for three days, Putin has concerns re preventing situations blowing out to war crisis. Putin wants the UN to be STRONGER ... (if only the USA would pay those dues!).Three days seems a fair time for them to discuss the needs the zone.

Leadership: It has been said that: the people of Iraq and people of Serbia, would have overthrown the leadership - had they not been nationally united against the USA, via bombings and sanctions.

It seems wrong that the children of Iraq, not born in 1990, are being made to suffer through denial of the essentials of a healthy existence.

Rather than mereley pointing out that leaders X or Y are evil, a 'quality' framework of leadership might be devised onto which each leadership style can be grafted and examined, then leaders could be ranked, compared/contrasted, and the people might see their strengths and weaknesses (in relation to their national environment). This pre-supposes their right to choose leaders.

China - doesn't seem keen on the concept of the defense sheild ..... which everyone seems to think is an excuse to churn out armaments for the benefit of rightwing-Techno-stakeholders ... or perhaps develop satellite-saving senarios.

rshowalter - 06:39pm May 15, 2001 EST (#3935 of 3936)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

The fee wouldn't have to be very high, compared to life insurance values in developed countries, to make military folks in disciplined nation states stop and think about strategy and tactics.

In one of Shakespeare's plays, there a reference to a

"Captain, who makes war by the rules of arithmetic."

(I'm sure I have the words wrong.)

Well, captains still do.

rshowalter - 06:44pm May 15, 2001 EST (#3936 of 3936)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

Now, back to defining "evil" -- let me take a half hour hack at it, and get back to you, gisterme . . .

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