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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 - 05:53pm Jun 26, 2001 EST (#6082 of 6096)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

gisterme , you, I believe, have rubbed shoulders with academics from time to time. You could easily find out, by asking, how hard it is to keep high precision equipment in calibration -- when you're pushing the state of the art. Hard at best. And a lot of things are impossible. Missile defense, aboard ships, or planes, or in satellites -- is no piece of cake. Senator Levin could organize a group of automotive engineers to do some of the checking I propose -- the proposals the administration is putting up are little more than back-of-the envelope expercises -- precious little has actually been achieved -- and the fundamental fact can't be hidden if reasonable checking is permitted.

In this thread, there are things you can find by searching "shuck" that I feel apply fairly and squarely to the programs you're defending, gisterme.

almarst-2001 - 06:02pm Jun 26, 2001 EST (#6083 of 6096)

Assuming the MD is not a fraud to milk the tax $ into few hands, it is designed to advance the US military capabilities vis-a-vis the rest of the world.

And it seems the rest of the world at large is not convinced such an increasing gap to US advantage is healthy or needed. Morover, in eyes of many it is unhealthy and undesirable at best, and outright dangerous at worst.

The question is, what will be the response to MD and whether the resulting situation will be any safer even for the US population.

almarst-2001 - 06:08pm Jun 26, 2001 EST (#6084 of 6096)

White House approved use of US troops as rebel escorts - http://asia.dailynews.yahoo.com/headlines/world/article.html?s=asia/headlines/010627/world/afp/White_House_approved_use_of_US_troops_as_rebel_escorts.html

"The Pentagon defended the use of US troops to escort ethnic Albanian rebels with their weapons from a besieged town in Macedonia as "the right thing to do," but insisted it did not mark a shift in US policy."

Didn't the NATO signed an agreement of demilitarisation of KLA?

Why to press for demilitarisation of IRA while making sure the KLA keeps its arms?

And finally, What is the criteria of "right thing to do" - the notion so perfected by Clinton?

rshowalter - 06:09pm Jun 26, 2001 EST (#6085 of 6096)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

gisterme? Almarst's point seems key.

Who benefits?

gisterme - 06:18pm Jun 26, 2001 EST (#6086 of 6096)

almarst wrote: "I got an impression that Gisterme and Dirac assume any critical view of US as Ant-American, un-patriotic and even treason..."

False impression almarst. Let's be specific. The only thing I said would be treason is the publishing of classified information. That would be treason anywhere at any time in history by whomever did it, since the concept of "treason" has existed. Do you disagree? If not, what WOULD be treason? Maybe I missed something.

WRT other issues I don't believe I have EVER used the terms "anti-American" or "unpatriotic". Have I? Let's CHECK. Checking....

Didn't use the term "anti-american".

Did use "unpatriotic" ONCE in response to Robert's claim: gisterme 6/19/01 3:40pm rshowalter wrote: "...On the matter of testing, and the general need for technical sanity in the administration's unpatriotic madness here..."

gisterme said: "...You should take a good look in the mirror before you call ANYBODY unpatriotic, Robert, unless you just don't mind being a hypocrite..."

So yes, I did use that term "unpatriotic" once because Robert was doing what you wrongly claim I'm doing. I notice from the same search that Robert has used the term "unpatriotic" in at least seven other posts. Robert uses the term when the administration doesn't do what he thinks is right. I'll stick to "needs to look in mirror" WRT Robert.

So, I've never said I thought you were either anti-American or unpatriotic even though you seem to hate everything about American policy. I have said I think that Robert and his "wing-ladies" are off-scale to the political left, and way out of the mainstream in their political views; but, aren't I as entitled to my view as they are to theirs and you are to yours? What's the matter with that? To deny you or them would be to deny myself.

By the way, what did you think of president Putin's June 22 speech? If you already commented, sorry I missed it.

gisterme - 06:23pm Jun 26, 2001 EST (#6087 of 6096)

almarst wrote: "...When would you KNOW the REAL effectiveness of MD when the missiles' capabilities are continuesly upgraded as well?..."

Gee, almarst, do you suppose that might be why specifics of BMD performance are not public information?

rshowalter - 06:31pm Jun 26, 2001 EST (#6088 of 6096)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

No one doubt that there's a lot "not public information."

What people can doubt is how much, that is classified, actually matters in the case.

almarst-2001 - 06:37pm Jun 26, 2001 EST (#6089 of 6096)

gisterme 6/26/01 6:18pm

"Putin's June 22 speech?"

Would you please provide a link?

gisterme - 06:42pm Jun 26, 2001 EST (#6090 of 6096)

Robert, I already answered your question form MD6075 in MD6078. gisterme 6/26/01 5:39pm

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