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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 - 12:04pm Sep 2, 2001 EST (#8319 of 8322)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

All responsible leaders elsewhere in the world have to do, to move things distinctly and clearly in the direction of peace, is to ask that essential technical facts about missile defense, that can be evaluated in public, actaully get competently and clearly evaluated in public.

If they asked that it be done, directly or through back channels, it would happen.

With some "islands of technical fact" established - we could move significantly in the direction of peace.

rshowalter - 12:06pm Sep 2, 2001 EST (#8320 of 8322)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

It would be cheaper and safer in every way to do this, than to spend scarce resources, in China and elsewhere, on a new arms race.

Which is the alternative.

johndryckman - 01:11pm Sep 2, 2001 EST (#8321 of 8322)

What has happened to the art of negotiation?

Bush and his military industrial partners are so determined to launch this maginot line strategy that they are willing to sacrifice any chance of good faith negotiations to limit the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

This announcement demonstrates the complete lack of desire to improve international security. This is about corporate greed and internationl instability. To state that it is inevitable that China will increase their nuclear aresenal and to propose that underground testing should be OK'ed is clearly an arms race discussion. Their is an assumption here that it is not possible to negotiate a non proliferation agreement. This strategy is clearly not in the interests of anyone but the US military and the corporations that compose the US arms industry.

Clearly the next step will be for the US to enter into conflict somewhere where weapons can be tested and used up, and where increased instability fans public sentiment about increasing military spending on weapons both nuclear and non-nuclear. It's good for the bottom line if it creates a need for more weapons, forget global security!!

Incedently, defensive sheilds have a long military history. They don't work!! The achilles heel is always found and they are overwhelmed.

Welcome to Mr. Bush's neighborhood.

rcowan12 - 01:17pm Sep 2, 2001 EST (#8322 of 8322)

BUSH is a dangerously stupid man.We are entering yet another dismal era of arms racing thanks to his arrogant and simpleminded pursuits. U.S. citizens should be outgaged by his latest cynical nonsense with China and either get rid of the man and his visionless cronies or demand to have some say in what their president is doing and get their leaders moved to work for world peace and not for world war.....R.B.Cowan

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