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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?

gisterme - 01:11pm Jun 27, 2001 EST (#6139 of 6168)

almarst wrote: "...The communism was hated by the British the most, even more then Fascism, as the main treat to their colonial holdings. That was the main reason for the immidiate start of the Cold War right after the WWII."

Sure, almarst, and the fact that the USSR installed brutal dictatorships and refused to witdraw from eastern Europe had nothing to do with it. ;-) That was just an insignificant detail, right? Why is it so hard for you to acknowledge that, almarst? Are you in denial too?

That's about all I'm going to say about that because endless recriminations lead to nothing but more of the same. Why not just accept that none are righteous, especially in times of war (Cold or not), declare a "moment of grace" and look to the future rather than the past? The Cold War is over; why re-fight it over and over again? We both know the historical outcome can never change.

gisterme - 01:17pm Jun 27, 2001 EST (#6140 of 6168)

WRT gisterme 6/26/01 9:21pm

possumdag wrote: "...GI: i hadn't got past the word 'government' ..."

Ahh, an undersight rather than an oversight. Still a great example of "spin by omission" whatever the cause. :-)

gisterme - 01:27pm Jun 27, 2001 EST (#6141 of 6168)

almarst-2001 6/26/01 9:55pm

almarst wrote: "...Interestingly, today the Germany and Japan as much dependent on the foreign energy resorces as they where before the WWII."

Does that surprise you, almarst? Why is it so interesting that there are no energy resources today where there were none 65 years ago?

The energy dependence picture won't change until we earthlings come up with an energy source that's both practical and renewable.

almarst-2001 - 01:37pm Jun 27, 2001 EST (#6142 of 6168)

lunarchick 6/27/01 8:28am

RE: Hitler's invasion of Russia - http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/war/wwtwo/battles/russia/russia_1.shtml

"at the time there were many people - and not just Germans - who thought that the decision to invade the Soviet Union was a rational act in pursuit of German self-interest and, moreover, that this was a war the Germans would win."

Iportand point - not just Germans Could it be Americans? Clearly there whas a great American interest to destroy the Communist country and it ideology. Much more then fascism. Evidence a great deal of involvement by American capital and technological companies such as IBM and Ford in rebuilding the Nazi Germany.

"Britain contained neither the space, nor the raw materials, that he believed the new German Empire needed"

True. But the British colonies did. And Hitler hoped for a deal - share those and avoid the war. Which he would probably get if Rusevelt would not cut a deal with Cherchill at the meeting on the sea.

"And he admired the British - Hitler often remarked how much he envied their achievement in subjugating India. Worse, if the Germans let themselves be drawn into a risky amphibious operation against a country Hitler had never wanted as an enemy, every day the potential threat from his greatest ideological opponent would be growing stronger. (It was just ironic that he was not yet at war with this perceived enemy, since in August 1939 Germany and the Soviet Union had signed a Non-Aggression Pact.)"

Disagree. I believe the Hitler hated the British the most. And he was a socialist - a much closer ideologically to Soviets. He just percieved the Russia to be the easiest immidiate pray. The Germany desperatly needed the oil to continue the war against Britain in Africa.

"All this meant that, from Hitler's point of view, there was an alternative to invading Britain: he could invade the Soviet Union."

No explanation on the meaning of "alternative" given by the BBC! My explanation see above.

"With the benefit of hindsight, popular opinion has labelled Hitler as virtually insane for invading the Soviet Union, but at the time many people - including those influential in both Britain and America - thought his decision was a sound one."

I would substitute the "sound" by "desirable".

"In the spring of 1942, Hitler launched a two-pronged attack in what he believed would be his final offensive in the East. One set of troops headed towards Baku and it's rich oil resources ..."

The hints: "final offensive in the East" and "oil". That was indeed his main goal in the war with Russia.

"

gisterme - 01:41pm Jun 27, 2001 EST (#6143 of 6168)

possumdag wrote: "...If it takes more than six months for the guy to get the letter that enables him to save on taxes ... where's the letter coming from .. Mars or Washington ?

I'd say it would have to be from Washington, possumdag. Mail from Mars is MUCH faster.

Raises the question re the timelyness of the Bwsh Administration ... how would they cope if there was a crisis ... when they can't detail a snail mail letter to move from A to B?..."

Send the mail via a Mars relay? :-) US Postal rates have already been raised twice in the last year. That's GOT to be what's slowing things down...

more $$ --> bureaucracy = bigger bureaucracy --> reduced performance.

That IS axiomatic.

If you don't believe it, just consider the US primary education system...

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