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Missile Defense

Technology has always found its greatest consumer in a nation's war and defense efforts. Since the last attempts at a "Star Wars" defense system, has technology changed considerably enough to make the latest Missile Defense initiatives more successful? Can such an application of science be successful? Is a militarized space inevitable, necessary or impossible?

Read Debates, a new Web-only feature culled from Readers' Opinions, published every Thursday.

gisterme - 04:56pm Mar 16, 2003 EST (# 10078 of 10083)

rshow55 - 08:25am Mar 16, 2003 EST (# 10060 of ...) http://forums.nytimes.com/webin/WebX?8@28.J3Sca7gK5us.2217363@40679d@.f28e622/11605

"...Prime Minister Blair knows who gisterme is - and so do many others on the Security Council..."

Nobody would be more shocked than myself if that were the case, Robert.

"...I can only guess - but it is clear that gisterme is associated with the Bush administration..."

You don't guess very well, Robert, and your completely misguided statement of "clarity" proves it.

"... - and permitted to speak..."

Permitted, even guaranteed, like you, under the constitution of the United States.

"...That narrows the list of people gisterme can be down a lot..."

Well, it narrows the list down to those who have a right to speak as guaranteed by the US Constitution. I'll grant you that. :-)

"...What he says is worth a careful, thoughtful look..."

I think so too.

"...I think that people in the Security Council, and responsible people all over the world, should read gisterme's response to my 10040 posting - and especially 10050-51..."

Me too.

"...I hope Tony Blair reads what gisterme has posted - and makes the same judgements that a lawyer would be expected to make - dealing with another lawyer, or with a client."

I'm sure the honorable Mr. Blair has more important things to do right now, Robert.

Do me a favor and try to get your ego under control, will you?

gisterme - 05:18pm Mar 16, 2003 EST (# 10079 of 10083)

rshow55 - 09:24am Mar 16, 2003 EST (# 10063 of ...) http://forums.nytimes.com/webin/WebX?8@28.J3Sca7gK5us.2217363@.f28e622/11608

Now there's a marvel of logical deduction. You already know I have no association with the US governement beyond being a taxpayer and a voter. Call me a "loose cannon" if you will, Robert. I'll still speak my conscience without a bunch of doubletalk.

Have you already forgotten about the "sticks and stones"? Your memory seems so short.

"...This thread isn't an accident - and neither are gisterme's postings..."

Yet more brilliant deduction! You're right! Somebody at the NYT intentionally started a Missle Defense forum. It was not done by accident. All of my postings are completely intentional. None are by accident. Do you make posts by accident, Robert?

"...Since the US government has very often demonstrated to me how much control they have over the internet..."

How have they demonstrated that to you, Robert?

" - they must know who gisterme is..."

I'm not sure that follows logically from your first statement, Robert, but if it's true then I'm flattered. Still, I have no doubt that the US government knows who I am. I send them my taxes every year.

"...By any sane diplomatic standard - gisterme speaks as a "loose cannon"..."

Heh, heh. Good thing I'm not a diplomat. Still I'd question your qualifications to be an unbiased judge of what a "sane diplomatic standard" is or even just what "sane" is...and I'm really glad you're not a diplomat.

"...I'm only guessing - but if it isn't the President of the United States - of someone VERY close - I miss my guess..."

Your "guess" couldn't be more wrong. You miss.

gisterme - 05:27pm Mar 16, 2003 EST (# 10080 of 10083)

"...It is also of fundamental importance for tactical and strategic reasons, and for moral reasons, to find out whether Saddam Hussien is alive or dead..."

I suspect that Saddam will dead in a week or two whether or not he's alive now. This is one of those things we do have time on. There is no tactical, strategic or moral reason to doubt that. However, just to humor you, Robert, how about we just go to Baghdad and check?

rshow55 - 05:33pm Mar 16, 2003 EST (# 10081 of 10083)
Can we do a better job of finding truth? YES. Click "rshow55" for some things Lchic and I have done and worked for on this thread.

10060 http://forums.nytimes.com/webin/WebX?8@28.J3Sca7gK5us.2217363@.f28e622/11605 says that Prime Minister Blair knows who gisterme is - and so do many others on the Security Council - - and I may be wrong about that - though it fits a good deal.

10063 http://forums.nytimes.com/webin/WebX?8@28.J3Sca7gK5us.2217363@.f28e622/11608 says something I'm much more confident of - the US government knows who gisterme is - and cares. That narrows down gisterme's identity a good deal, it seems to me - with the United States as it is.

I stand by what I've said.

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