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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 - 06:05pm Jul 28, 2001 EST (#7549 of 7553)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

Working on almarst's posts --- some background.

From Richard Rhodes' Dark Sun MD1308 rshowalter 3/22/01 11:48am

, and some absolutely key points from Almarst:
MD1309 almarst-2001 3/22/01 11:54am . . . MD1310 almarst-2001 3/22/01 12:34pm

" It now became clear to me, the big hope that a new pecefull world would once become a reality after the end of a Cold War and breakup of USSR, was just unrealistic.

" We have a very long way to go in building a mutual respect and trust - the most critical ingredients for the lasting peace.

" It will have to be done in a long series of small, carefull and mutually-simmetrical but CONSISTENT steps , with clear understanding that even one step back may destroy the whole prior acievements. And here is a big danger that even small but influential group can easily sabotage it.

Comment: Some of these steps have happened in the last four months. Could a hopeful, honest, responsible outcome be sabotaged? Easily? In the face of competent opposition? Those remain a key questions. Almarst continues:

" It seem the Russia has an ambitions to become a prosperous and respectable power.

" It is less clear why that would contradict the American interests if Russia remains friendly and peaceful.

" The question is, are there any US interests, other then to preserve the military-industrial complex or establish the complete World hegemony, to resist such an outcome?

Four months later, I feel some significant progress has been made, and some key matters have converged to clearer focuses. But the question almarst ends with remains a haunting one:

" . . . are there any US interests, other then to preserve the military-industrial complex or establish the complete World hegemony, to resist such an outcome?

Depending on the taxonomy you wish to use to model the situation, the answer to almarst's question can be either "yes" or "no."

But either way, the answer occurs in a complex context, technically, politically, and psychologically, where the size of the interests has to be carefully considered.

MD3891 rshowalter 5/15/01 6:25am . . MD3892 rshowalter 5/15/01 6:45am
MD3893 lucky085a 5/15/01 6:45am . . . MD3894 rshowalter 5/15/01 6:45am
MD3895 rshowalter 5/15/01 6:47am . . .

rshowalter - 06:07pm Jul 28, 2001 EST (#7550 of 7553)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

http://forums.nytimes.com/webin/WebX?11@184.VnIdaKdLs02^6514987@.f0ce57b ... If almarst is an indication -- the Russians may want the warm, human solutions -- if they can do so, and feel secure.

(3 following messages)

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