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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 - 09:43am Sep 24, 2001 EST (#9829 of 9838)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

Search Moscow Times.

rshowalter - 10:01am Sep 24, 2001 EST (#9830 of 9838)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

Not that this would suggest anything directly, but it might elicit some useful thoughts about stability, destabilization with changes in coefficients, and vulnerabilites. Thoughts that might be interesting both offensively and defensively.

There's a fine American meat product - - Russians got a lot of it during WWII - - and liked it. It is "spam."

If you search "spam" - on this thread, and elsewhere, that might be interesting, if you think of analogs and connections.

Barriers to access, these days, are less impregnible than they used to be.

That puts the defense of lies at a tactical disadvantage, if information flows are free, and large.

almarst-2001 - 10:38am Sep 24, 2001 EST (#9831 of 9838)

wejjr2 "U.S. Foreign Policy" 9/24/01 10:20am

MEMO to the White House on RECOMMENDATIONS for Action: 1. Do Not Delay, and Achieve Surprise: Introduce Special Forces and Air Force strike jets into Afghanistan, now, aimed at al Qaeda and protectors. Surprise the world with how fast the United States makes the first military move after the President has announced a sustained campaign. The resolution passed by Congress is the functional equivalent of a declaration of war.

2. Separate the Quarry of secular extremists from religious connotations. President Bush: "We're not deceived by their pretenses to piety." Quote from an Islamic fundamentalist leader in Pakistan: "Why would the United States go to war with 1.3 billion Muslims to get one Arab ?"

3. Use Triad of Bases in Uzbekistan, the Gulf states, and on Navy carriers at sea. No land presence of U.S. aircraft or combat troops in Pakistan.

4. Do Not Accept Surrender of Enemy on Any Terms. Terminate the principal and his lieutenants with extreme prejudice. President Bush: "Bring justice to our enemies."

5. Maintain News Media Censorship until the terrorist training camps are found and disposed of.

6. Pick and Strike a STATE (not states) within days, not weeks, if significantly implicated. Invoke the legitimacy of self defense under international law. President Bush: "I have a message for our military: Be ready. I have called the armed forces to alert, and there is a reason."

7. IRAQ is the prime candidate. Single out Saddam Hussein and hit hard his Baghdad bunkers, with B-52 and B-1 bombers and cruise missiles. (Save these weapons for a real state, not Afghanistan.) Send in the Marines and the Army, as needed; however, do not try to occupy the country. Escort in the Iraqi Opposition. Abort Saddam in the role of protector of the Muslim world. There is no Islamic holy site in Iraq.

8. Sudan; Syria; Hezbollah in Lebanon: President Bush: "Our enemy is a radical network of terrorists and every government that supports them. *** We will direct every resource at our command--every means of diplomacy, every tool of intelligence, every instrument of law enforcement, every financial influence, and every necessary weapon of war..." Isolate the worst cases.

9. A Marathon Race: President Bush: "Our response involves far more than instant retaliation and isolated strikes. Americans should not expect one battle, but a lengthy campaign unlike any other we have ever seen. It may include dramatic strikes visible on TV and covert operations secret even in success. *** There are thousands of these terrorists in more than 60 countries." This campaign should not publicly target many different states at once, but covertly focus upon remaining terrorist cells within states. Bear in mind that the attention span of the American people remains rather short; not to mention the durability of big alliances abroad.

10. Ask for Resignations of several intelligence, customs, immigration, and aviation officials due to the massive intelligence and operations failures that contributed to the success of the plane hijackers. The President must take command of the Government's diverse bureaucracies through the new Office of Homeland Security.

William E. Jackson, Jr.

Davidson, N.C. 28036

[Staff of the International Division of the Bureau of the Budget, Executive Office of the President, 1963-64; Chief Legislative Assistant to the Senate Democratic Whip, 1974-77; Executive Director of the General Advisory Committee on Arms Control under President Jimmy Carter, 1978-80; Senior Officer in Office of Congressional Relations, Department of State, 1980-81.]

rshowalter - 11:07am Sep 24, 2001 EST (#9832 of 9838)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

We are dealing here with a degree of insanity, corruption, and disconnection from realities that is serious. And a degree of disconnection with humanity, with human decency, that is serious.

There's no sense is saying it is less serious than it is.

Nor that it is just a matter of Republicans, or Democrats.

almarst-2001 9/24/01 10:38am ... cites wejjr2 "U.S. Foreign Policy" 9/24/01 10:20am - - - a pretty good recipe for setting off a massive, uncontrollable fight. That this sort of thing often seems like "a good idea" to Americans says a good deal about the need for military sanity in America.

The issue of "what is the end game?" needs to be considered. Human decency needs to be considered as well.

The military craziness of many Americans, including some American general officers, is something that ought to be impressed upon our allies - - particularly in NATO --- as well as our friends.

This is a time where people outside of America shouldn't trust the United States good sense or honesty - - but should check and make judgements themselves.

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