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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 - 05:05pm Jul 11, 2001 EST (#6935 of 6939)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

With all the government involvement possible, from all the nations concerned, and with "shadow" governments set up when the government in power did not participate.

. For instance, a "shadow US government" for this purpose might have an ex President, an ex Secretary of State, ex head of the CIA, and several former chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in addition to other distinguished people. Some signatories to an appeal of last year might be available, if the effort was serious. MD374 rshowalt 10/4/00 5:08am

If this involved "secret talks" it would be unworkable. But if everything was open, it ought to be workable.

MD960 rshowalter 3/12/01 2:47pm ... starts:

Here are questions, well suited to large journalistic organizations which, if well answered, could facilitate the practical jobs peace might take. The answers would also be the basis for good stories from a journalistic point of view. No doubt there are many other good questions. I offer these as examples.

MD962 rshowalter 3/12/01 2:51pm .... starts:

Plainly, this might seem like "play acting" -- but it would serve a quite practical purpose -- getting the needs of disarmament coherent enough to pursue.

Once these questions were answered, it would be much harder for objectors to say "we can't do it" without giving coherent reasons.

The sort of reasons they now lack, and don't feel obligated to set forward.

In this thread, dialog with the "Putin stand in" almarst has gone far enough for a very conditional but clear acceptance of the idea of full nuclear disarmament (of course, on this thread's play acting basis) for "Russia."

In a sense "only play acting."

But I believe the facts and arguments traced in this thread are among the facts and arguments that the real nation states would have to trace through for accomodation.

Having these facts set out on the internet, for all to see, with the public aware, would make for logical stability, and the building of consensus in an area where building confidence is very important, and disagreements have to be faced, and dealt with, rather than hidden.

Could we get from where we are on this thread now, to this broader and more open effort. It would take some money, some staffing, and some open support from some world leaders.

Would journalistic organizations, journalists, and others be interested in such a thing. My gues is, with credible support, they might.

We've learned enough about internet formats, here and elsewhere, that I'm sure it could be done -- and we might get some things to closure that would never be possible otherwise.

rshowalter - 05:11pm Jul 11, 2001 EST (#6936 of 6939)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

Objectively, if we could just get some matters clarified, we aren't so very far from conditions that would permit a much more peaceful world.

Getting those issues clarified might be possible with wide involvement, perhaps including one of Rupert Murdoch's papers, or Fox News

The Red-State Network: How Fox News Conquered Bush Country -- and Toppled CNN by MARSHALL SELLA http://www.nytimes.com/2001/06/24/magazine/24FOXNEWS.html

Including, indeed, journalistic organizations of all persuasions -- setting information out in a format where people could look at much, if not all, of the credible data -- and draw conclusions by matching.

rshowalter - 05:24pm Jul 11, 2001 EST (#6937 of 6939)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

This thread could be "mined" for a lot of stuff -- but the transition could be made to mainline journalism -- on several continents. With enough breadth to provide protection for journalistic organizations that sometimes feel some need of it. Perhaps with some university involvement.

Contact from a few world leaders to some place like the NYU CENTER FOR WAR, PEACE, AND THE NEWS MEDIA http://www.nyu.edu/cwpnm/ might get some active, inspired, and well connected responses.

rshowalter - 07:19pm Jul 11, 2001 EST (#6938 of 6939)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

From time to time, I set out directories and summaries of this thread, because it is extensive ...
MD6837 rshowalter 7/10/01 10:13am ... MD6838 rshowalter 7/10/01 10:13am
MD6839 rshowalter 7/10/01 10:14am ...

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