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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 - 10:41am Jun 30, 2001 EST (#6322 of 6337)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

A statement of what I believe, and almarst believes, may be the key issues with respect to comprehensive peace, and real cooperation, between the Russia and the United States:

MD4517 almarst-2001 6/5/01 3:44pm

" the Russians are still interested in total -- or at least near total nuclear disarmament -- but nuclear disarmament, and changes in nuclear balances, must depend on stability and safety for Russia and nations Russia cares about -- in terms of military balances as a whole, including weapons systems and information flows."

And in terms of other conditions of peace, including trade. Things are interdependent -- but they look possible.

lunarchick - 11:00am Jun 30, 2001 EST (#6323 of 6337)
lunarchick@www.com

Trade, brings to mind the Russian-American guy (name escapes me) who used to fly into Moscow to help negotiate between the those two countries. He developed his fortune on his ability to fix deals, bartering lead pencils for pineapples, so to speak when currency was 'scarce'. This guy dealt in the movement of 'physical' goods, rather than approaching business via trading on the markets in stocks and shares (to exculsion of all else).

possumdag - 11:18am Jun 30, 2001 EST (#6324 of 6337)
Possumdag@excite.com

http://www.dawn.com/2001/06/30/int5.htm
~ http://www.dawn.com/2001/06/30/int7.htm (flexibility on defence)

lunarchick - 11:37am Jun 30, 2001 EST (#6325 of 6337)
lunarchick@www.com

Talk then Negotiate (no chicken-egg conundrum)

'stressed the talks would not in any way be negotiations. "Negotiations would mean that we have something concrete to discuss," Sergeyev said. "We have agreed for now to look at the threats (cited by Washington in defending its missile defence plans) and to see which of them are real and which are virtual," he said.

lunarchick - 11:40am Jun 30, 2001 EST (#6326 of 6337)
lunarchick@www.com

Showalter .. can you delineate here between a 'real threat' and a 'virtual threat' ?

Is there a suggestion that there are silos filled with 'virtual missiles' rather than real ones ?

rshowalter - 12:17pm Jun 30, 2001 EST (#6327 of 6337)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

No, but there could be the suggestion that the missile threats from "rogue nations" were "virtual" -- in the sense of imaginary -- rather than real.

That seems an issue worth discussing.

As the question of "real" versus "imaginary" missile defenses ought to be.

The "talk, then negotiate" idea makes special sense, because there are big problems at the level of communication -- including talking -- between Russia, and other countries -- especially the US.

A big thing is that Russians and others need to talk enough, and clearly enough, so that they can disagree, on key issues, without having to be deferential, and without fighting.

lunarchick - 12:51pm Jun 30, 2001 EST (#6328 of 6337)
lunarchick@www.com

Were the MD issues sorted, then Trade would take 'pride of place' as in 'money helps the world go around' ...

rshowalter - 12:57pm Jun 30, 2001 EST (#6329 of 6337)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

Getting the MD problems sorted out is now, mostly, a matter of establishing the same kinds of trust and communication skills that effective trade, and effective complex cooperation need.

Here are some references.

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