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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 - 01:24pm Jun 11, 2001 EST (#4743 of 4748)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

I feel that the following proposal would be CHEAP - and if some of the "powers that be" went along with it, in both the US and Russia - an enormous amount of informed dialog - within countries and between countries, might occur - greatly increasing practical chances of complex cooperation, friendship, and peace.

MD1996 rshowalter 4/5/01 9:58am
reads in part

(there are) "limitations of human memory, and limitations on the human ability to handle complexity. With the internet, those limits can be radically extended, and the techniqus of the "culture of lying" can be placed under new, powerful, and entertaining pressure, in the public interest.

"Not only would this change be in the public interest. It would be entertaining ! And with storage as cheap as it is now, manageable.

"major social problems, and reasonable hopes for their solution, depend on how the press functions. MD1865 rshowalter 4/1/01 1:45pm

"If mainstream journalism powers changed their procedures and policies only just a little, the penalties for bad faith an lying by politicians and "political operatives" might increase radically, quickly, entertainingly, and at low cost. MD1857 rshowalter 4/1/01 8:14am

"The technology of the internet is making the techniques of opinion manipulation developed before WWI (and highly evolved since) much more vulnerable than they used to be, because many more words are available; content can be available, subject to very extensive crossreferencing over very extended times; and there is therefore much more possibility of getting issues considered to a level that permits closure.

MD1859 rshowalter 4/1/01 12:56pm ... (and as gisterme might point out, bias would be more embarrassing for the papers, too.)

MD1858 rshowalter 4/1/01 12:54pm ... MD1860 rshowalter 4/1/01 12:59pm
MD1861 rshowalter 4/1/01 1:07pm . . . MD rshowalter 4/1/01 1:09pm

"What if subjects of stories were routinely notified, and denials or discussions were made available on the internet - archived as the articles were.

"I think the change would be practical, would act to increase the power and reliability of journalism, and could be self supporting, or even a money-maker. (Comment, referenced to the NYT, but relevant to other papers MD1906 rshowalter 4/2/01 8:39am ... )

rshowalter - 01:25pm Jun 11, 2001 EST (#4744 of 4748)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

Other references, specifically for the Rusians, are in MD2030-2031 rshowalter 4/6/01 6:50am ... ends:

"If Russia did this, she would assure herself a free press at home -- the most important thing Russia needs, I believe, and she'd have taken a huge step toward getting a fair press abroad.

"Perhaps, rather than an "arms race" there could be a "truth race" -- at least among journalistic businesses -- if Russia took this higher standard, would not American papers feel pressure to follow suit?

"Think what that would mean for peace, and prosperity in the world !

"I can think of no more powerful gesture, showing good faith and integrity, tht Putin could possibly make, on any subject.

rshowalter - 01:35pm Jun 11, 2001 EST (#4745 of 4748)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

Other references, along similar lines, are in

MD2762 rshowalter 4/30/01 8:13am ... MD3757 rshowalter 5/12/01 1:05pm

In relation to the NYT: MD3984 rshowalter 5/16/01 6:19pm . . . MD3990 gisterme 5/16/01 6:47pm

keyed to almarst's concerns, which we should all share.
MD3987 rshowalter 5/16/01 6:35pm MD3989 rshowalter 5/16/01 6:37pm

rshowalter - 01:38pm Jun 11, 2001 EST (#4746 of 4748)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

Russia's strapped for cash -- but even so, it could fund a couple of years of this "web comment procedure" in the top 20 papers in the US -- easily. What a challenge, to all concerned, to play straight, and to listen to different points of view, and match things.

If Russia's press was free in THIS way -- it would be lot harder to criticise it (or isolate it) as well.

One might, at first, think the process would be polluted by spam -- but I don't think it would be.

rshowalter - 01:46pm Jun 11, 2001 EST (#4747 of 4748)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

A lot of current controversy might comb out more easily if these procedures were in place.

For instance, the Bush administration makes an argument against treaties on the grounds that, however good they are in theory, the practice of treaty making can be interminable, and waste many chances.

To make that case, clearly, would be a big step in finding procedural ways, including "discourse conventions" for moving more quickly.

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