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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.

lchic - 08:03pm Apr 6, 2002 EST (#1157 of 1171)

MEast Story time:
^{http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/story.jsp?story=282337
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/story.jsp?story=282454}

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That means that the steps of the program have to be sold to people with resources and power of decision - step by step. RS

directory:
_{http://dmoz.org/Business/Venture_Capital/Resources_for_Entrepreneurs/}
An Idea starts as a simple and seemingly straight forward plan, yet grows in resource needs to nourish it along through the complexity as it progresses :
_{http://www.help-finance.com/samplebusinessplan.htm
http://www.intra-con.com/venture_capital.htm}

This is why progressive governments and insightful people step-in and assist acknowledging a later appreicable pay-off to society.

I once watched a program ... taking the invention to market ... even for a hair-slide it was challenging, complex, and demanding of time and resources. Bigger-important ideas do need sustained follow through. I get Showalter's point when he says it would be wise to deflect some expenditure from defence towards international public good.

As I've pointed out before, it is necessary to bring up those areas of the world that are now in poverty and without basic infrastructure for water, sewage and power .. the payoff later being they will trade with the advanced economies buying those sophisticated industrial goods - also giving benefits of higher demand / reduced production costs / improved living standards.

Rather than standing-by encouraging and assisting, people to blow each other to pieces .. the USA could be a leader and through worthwhile projects gain international respect with awe! But that would take 'GOoD' leadership.

manjumicha2001 - 08:08pm Apr 6, 2002 EST (#1158 of 1171)

rshow

I appreciate your straightforward & transparant manner of responses. And your background is fascinating, to say the least. I shall e-mail you sometime. Maybe you can share with me some of your past efforts that you might want to revive and proceed further, given the right circumstances. Although I do get frustrated with your almost child-like faith in our collective rational capabilities, I believe your hope is a sincere one and very much refreshing in this world corrupted by Kissingerian realism. What you proposed and tried to accomplish seems to have been indeed noble efforts.....representing probably some of the best aspects of humanity.

Having said that, idealism and realities seem to contradict themselves so much nowadays and, with so much diverse centers of power grapping one's ankles, it sure does take Bill Cayseian power play to do some genuine good. If such one is a type that does not obsess with self-glorification, so much better. Excuse my ramblings but that is it for now.

Btw, I am a corporate attorney specializing in international finances and cross-border transactions (and still green at 37).

Best regards

lchic - 08:59pm Apr 6, 2002 EST (#1159 of 1171)

We've got your .. number! :)

almarst-2001 - 09:14pm Apr 6, 2002 EST (#1160 of 1171)

manjumicha2001 4/6/02 8:08pm

Well said. Particularely for the still green one;)

It just proves the age does not automatically brings the wisdom but rather improves one that already exists.

lchic - 12:17am Apr 7, 2002 EST (#1161 of 1171)

_{http://www.observer.co.uk/worldview/0,11581,641237,00.html}

lchic - 12:58am Apr 7, 2002 EST (#1162 of 1171)

Wisdom and belief

The cruel emperor Caligula once said he wished the Roman people were one-headed, literally, so that he could slay it with one blow http://capo.org/lecture2.html

lchic - 03:26am Apr 7, 2002 EST (#1163 of 1171)

^{.......Oh yes, I am wise
But it’s wisdom born of pain
Yes, I’ve paid the price
But look how much I gained ..}

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