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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?

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gisterme - 01:05am Mar 21, 2003 EST (# 10289 of 10294)

almarst2003 - 07:59pm Mar 20, 2003 EST (# 10279 of ...)

"The race for the mightiest God."

If God did not make you a righteous judge, Alex, then who did? You certainly seem to enjoy pretending to play the part. Try as you might, participate as you do, the race you suggest and struggle to run is one you'll never win.

lchic - 01:19am Mar 21, 2003 EST (# 10290 of 10294)
~~~~ It got understood and exposed ~~~~

Seems there were deals on the table with Iraq - post sanctions - for some securityCmembers - are these deals now in doubt?

lchic - 01:31am Mar 21, 2003 EST (# 10291 of 10294)
~~~~ It got understood and exposed ~~~~

Whirling wings

Stop whirling --

'another one bites the dust

Another one?

Yes another one!

Another one bites the dust'

© dR3

This thread looked a Helicopters -- way back ...

rshow55 - 07:27am Mar 21, 2003 EST (# 10292 of 10294)
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.

There are unintended consequences - often mixed with intended consequences - and I'm feeling hopeful. I think Almarst is making fine, important points in a well focused fashion, and Gisterme is, as well. ( For the record: Just now, I don't take back a single negative thing I've ever said about Gisterme . )

This thread includes some fine writing - and fredmoore's 9426 of Mar 3, 2003 seems worth reposting. Fredmoore's story involves consequences, and coupled effects. Willy Hoppe, the great billiards artist, would have appreciated the story. http://forums.nytimes.com/webin/WebX?8@28.RChyaaq05jW.0@.f28e622/10965

I think Bush is doing some things, tactically and strategically - that make practical and moral sense - but I surely have an unusual perspective. When I was a kiddie, I got into more than 100 fights - more than 20 of which involved people threatening me with knives- when they had cutlery, and I didn't. I wasn't a very good diplomat, or I wouldn't have been so agressive - but even so, I didn't see very many alternatives that I, as I was, could get to work. I learned a great deal about pre-emption - its uses and limits at that time - and have done a lot of thinking about it since - some at Bill Casey's direction. Bush seems to know some key things about the uses and limits of pre-emption. Enough, I hope - and just now it looks like he does know enough.

Sometimes I've written poems to try to make simple points - and lchic collected some at 2599 http://forums.nytimes.com/webin/WebX?8@28.RChyaaq05jW.0@.f28e622/3237

Chain Breakers http://talk.guardian.co.uk/WebX?14@@.ee79f4e/618

In Clear rshowalter "Science News Poetry" 2/14/01 7:18am http://forums.nytimes.com/webin/WebX?8@28.RChyaaq05jW.0@.f1983fb/409

Learning to Stand http://talk.guardian.co.uk/WebX?14@@.ee79f4e/1345

Secular Redemption http://talk.guardian.co.uk/WebX?14@@.ee79f4e/1345

Especially Secular Redemption http://talk.guardian.co.uk/WebX?14@@.ee79f4e/1345

We need to lie less - to send in clear more often - especially when it matters. And be more matter-of-fact at spotting deceptions, too. That's all we'd need to do a great deal better than we're doing - we have a mess - not beyond redemption - but redemption is what is needed. Facing up to what has happened, and what's been done, is what people need to do. Some key people may actually be so upset that they're forced to think straight - with less deception and self deception than usual, and more checking.

A lot of people who have backed Saddam, and said "no war - ever - under any circumstances" - ought to think hard about consequences.

I think things are going very well so far.

There's a good chance that we can take the incidence of agony and death from war way down from where it has been - and do it soon.

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New York Times on the Web Forums Science Missile Defense