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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 - 05:26pm Jun 19, 2001 EST (#5476 of 5482)

dirac_10 6/19/01 1:47pm

"''It's like a bullet hitting a bullet. Is it possible today or not? Today experts say that it is impossible to achieve this,'' Putin said"

Can you provide a link to the source, please?

rshowalter - 05:29pm Jun 19, 2001 EST (#5477 of 5482)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

Everybody else but the countries you listed feels threatened, or at least, not protected? I think I may agree with you.

Then missile defense, considered in isolation, is only a smaller part of a much larger problem

-- -

and if that problem were adressed, missile defense concerns, as a part of the larger problem, might resolve well?

But not otherwise?

In your personal opinion?

almarst-2001 - 05:29pm Jun 19, 2001 EST (#5478 of 5482)

dirac_10 6/19/01 1:50pm

"Mirvs give a first strike advantage. One missle can defeat many missles. It is very destabilizing. And recognized to be so. This is his irresponsible threat."

If you think this is irresponsible, I suggest you to wait a couple of years after the MD project starts. See you then;)

rshowalter - 05:32pm Jun 19, 2001 EST (#5479 of 5482)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

I don't always agree with dirac , and I don't here. Mirving the missiles you have is an entirely reasonable way to respond to the threats you're worrying about. You have to be prepared for that.

It is a perfect illustration of how missile defense, as part of a unilateralist, US hegemony policy - takes thing in the wrong direction - far and fast.

gisterme - 06:37pm Jun 19, 2001 EST (#5480 of 5482)

rshowalter wrote: "...The Cold War should be over -- and partly, that means that the US should stop doing the things that continue it..."

Like what things, Robert? Looking out for our own interests? It is in our post Cold War intersts to deal with post Cold War threats like North Korean ICBM development among others. That's not Cold War continuation, that's just covering OUR own behinds.

But for me protection against those limited threats are really just a collateral benefit of a BMD if development of same can also lead to a significant reduction or even elimination of the existing strategic nuclear weapons in the world. I doubt that you would disagree that the US needs to be sure that it is otherwise protected if it does away with it's MAD scale nuclear deterrent.

Even with the limited BMD that's proposed the US would be foolish to unilaterally disarm. As much as I would like to see ICBMs done away with I would never support a unilateral US stand down of ICBMs.

I'd bet though, that all those Europeans who have been screaming so loudly about US unilateralism of late wouldn't be heard at all if the US decided to unilaterally do away with its ICBMs. I wonder why I think that. Hmmm.

gisterme - 07:01pm Jun 19, 2001 EST (#5481 of 5482)

Robert,

What has the US done in Kosovo and Yugoslavia that is illegal in UN terms? Isn't Milosevic the one who's heading to the docket for war crimes?

Isn't it contradictory to say that a consortium of nations (plural) like NATO has acted "unilaterally" there.

The peacekeepers that are in Kosovo now are UN peace keepers including Russians. The Russians insisted on being the first ones in. You may not have noticed but the Russians and NATO seem to be on the same side now that the Albanians are the ones causing the problems in Macedonia.

rshowalter - 07:07pm Jun 19, 2001 EST (#5482 of 5482)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

Just this time, after all that almarst has said, I'd like to give almarst a crack at answering your question.

If he doesn't choose to, or doesn't come around, I'll try to answer you carefully in the morning.

It seems to me that if you could go back and read some of almarst's postings, you could answer your own question.

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