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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?

lunarchick - 09:56am Jul 29, 2001 EST (#7570 of 7573)
lunarchick@www.com

Nite! from the Planet of ....

rshowalter - 11:53am Jul 29, 2001 EST (#7571 of 7573)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

Apetown, My Hometown by MAUREEN DOWD http://www.nytimes.com/2001/07/29/opinion/29DOWD.html

"Without giving away the ending of the new version of the classic collision-of-species movie, I can tell you there's a chilling scene set in Washington. It shows what can happen when the guys in charge monkey around in the wrong direction. "

Koko . . . http://www.koko.org/news/062901.html

A work of art, and perspective: ... MD691-692 edevershed 2/16/01 1:26am

MD6559 lunarchick 7/4/01 8:27pm ... MD6561 rshowalter 7/4/01 8:35pm
MD6562 lunarchick 7/4/01 8:37pm ... MD6564 rshowalter 7/4/01 8:39pm
MD6566 rshowalter 7/4/01 8:44pm ... MD6569 rshowalter 7/4/01 8:50pm

We are "a little lower than the angels" too. Stanley Milgrams experiment ought to be required reading for all trying to form judgements about the probable "rationality" of our current nuclear arrangements. http://www.cba.uri.edu/Faculty/dellabitta/mr415s98/EthicEtcLinks/Milgram.htm

Key references gathered by Dawn Riley: .. MD695-697 rshowalter 2/17/01 5:41am

MD7411 rshowalter 7/25/01 8:29am

rshowalter - 11:56am Jul 29, 2001 EST (#7572 of 7573)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

Lead Editorial, The New York Times , today:

AMERICA ON THE SIDELINES http://www.nytimes.com/2001/07/29/opinion/29SUN1.html

"During the presidential campaign, George W. Bush often said that a country as powerful as the United States should be humble in its relations with other nations. That was good advice, but since taking office Mr. Bush has shown a surprising disdain for the kinds of treaties and international agreements that set the tone for America's engagement with the world and that have figured prominently in Washington's foreign policy for most of the years since World War II. The administration's hostile attitude communicates a sense of arrogance and contempt for international cooperation that ill serves American interests.

"This page favors preservation or adoption of the treaties that the Bush administration opposes. But we recognize that in the case of recently negotiated accords, any new administration has a right to reconsider draft agreements endorsed by its predecessor and to propose revisions more in keeping with its own philosophy. Washington clearly has an obligation to make sure that international agreements do not undermine American security. But unless a treaty is fatally flawed, Washington should not abruptly walk away from the agreement. The more responsible answer is to work with other countries to modify the accord.

"As the world's strongest economic and military power, the United States has a compelling interest in helping to expand and shape international law on matters from arms control to the environment to criminal accountability. Mighty as it is, Washington cannot expect to lead the way to a less dangerous, more law-abiding and environmentally sustainable world from the sidelines.

"The administration's record in this regard is dismal. In January, even before Mr. Bush took office, his spokesmen declared that he would not seek Senate ratification of the treaty creating the International Criminal Court. In March, the White House announced that the United States was withdrawing from the Kyoto Protocol on global warming. In May, Mr. Bush made clear he was ready to set aside the constraints of the Antiballistic Missile Treaty in order to test and build missile defenses.

"Earlier this month, American delegates insisted on diluting a United Nations agreement to reduce illegal trafficking in small arms. Last week, Washington pulled out of long-running efforts to negotiate enforcement provisions for the convention banning biological weapons. Meanwhile, the administration has indefinitely deferred seeking Senate ratification of the 1996 nuclear test ban treaty and the 1993 nuclear weapons reduction treaty with Russia negotiated by Mr. Bush's father.

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