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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 - 11:14pm Jun 4, 2001 EST (#4505 of 4516)

I am pretty sure the US had a lot of options short of what it did in Germany, Japan, Korea, Vietnam and other places.

Japan at the end of the WWWII was on the brink of capitulation lacking the oil and other resources as well as man power and equipment. It did not treatened the US. Even the simple naval blocade was probably sufficient to extract its capitulation reasonably soon. But, if someone wanted to show the world "who is the boss" now what the A-bomb was in US posession - it could have being dropped on some small island and send a film to the Imperor.

As well, the retreating Iraqi columns could have being saved from slaughtering, the carpet bombing and Agent Orange in Vietnam avoided etc.

rshowalter - 12:12am Jun 5, 2001 EST (#4506 of 4516)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

almarst , you need effective deterrants for stability -- but the deterrants don't need to be nuclear -- and for reasons you know well, nuclear deterrants have limitations anyway. A central concern for peace is to have views like your (assuming that you speak as leaders of Russia would speak) much more more widely understood. We've talked about effective ways of doing that.

MD2915 rshowalter 5/1/01 5:56pm .... MD2916 rshowalter 5/1/01 5:59pm
MD2917 rshowalter 5/1/01 6:05pm . . . . MD2918 rshowalter 5/1/01 6:13pm
MD2919 rshowalter 5/1/01 6:18pm

rshowalter - 12:20am Jun 5, 2001 EST (#4507 of 4516)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

MD3380 rshowalter 5/6/01 5:43pm ....nuclear weapons are not a "good" answer to any question at all.

I believe that the things that need to be considered can be pointed out , with respect to four movies. . . . . . . The movies I have in mind are West Side Story , which is a modern retelling of Romeo and Juliet ; Dr. Strangelove ; Mary Poppins ; and, in my view perhaps the richest of all movies, Casablanca.

MD3383 rshowalter 5/6/01 8:36pm ... MD3384 rshowalter 5/6/01 8:37pm
MD3385 rshowalter 5/6/01 8:41pm

rshowalter - 12:22am Jun 5, 2001 EST (#4508 of 4516)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

almarst , I'll respond more tomorrow. If your concerns were more widely known, the chances of reasonable peace would be much improved.

possumdag - 03:23am Jun 5, 2001 EST (#4509 of 4516)
Possumdag@excite.com

http://www.newscientist.com/dailynews/news.jsp?id=ns9999823

Estimates of how much intellectual property was lost to foreign interests after the breakdown of the Soviet Union have been circulating in Russia recently. Some say Russia lost billions of dollars. The Academy's move might be aimed at stemming such losses.

almarst-2001 - 06:39am Jun 5, 2001 EST (#4510 of 4516)

possumdag 6/5/01 3:23am

Should we wonder how much intellectual property was lost worldwide to the handfull of high bidders on the West, particularelly the US?

The Russian intellectual lost is definetly the most harmful and lasting of all.

lunarchick - 08:18am Jun 5, 2001 EST (#4511 of 4516)
lunarchick@www.com

If the intellectual property is developed and provides 'good' product for the world to consume, then this is a saving aspect.

It is necessary to have provisions in place that will enable people to pull in returns on their work - or the State if the employer.

Australia has a lot of inventors ... utlitmately most product ends up with the USA .. because they have the Venture Capitalists with the capability of developing 'to market' a product.

This may have also been the case as to why developments are moving from Russia that may not have had the cash, expertise etc, to develop and market. Of course some individuals may have benefitted per$onally.

almarst-2001 - 11:00am Jun 5, 2001 EST (#4512 of 4516)

Some groups are specializing on a particular blood... (not a medical one)

U.S. drug eradication flights in Colombia are being flown by the same private company that Oliver North used to secretly run guns to Nicaraguan rebels during the 1980s Iran-Contra scandal. - http://www.newsday.com/ap/text/international/ap887.htm

almarst-2001 - 11:01am Jun 5, 2001 EST (#4513 of 4516)

Russia Warns U.S. On Missile Pact - http://www.newsday.com/ap/text/international/ap297.htm

"''If we assume that the ABM Treaty loses force, it's logical to assume that the subsequent treaties that were based on it will also lose force,'' Sergei Ivanov told reporters after meeting with visiting Canadian Defense Minister Art Eggleton."

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