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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.

cantabb - 07:26pm Nov 9, 2003 EST (# 17034 of 17083)

Wondering if the over-worked Link-machine is just tired or in repair.

bluestar23 - 07:31pm Nov 9, 2003 EST (# 17035 of 17083)

It's interesting, isn't it, how easy it is to have a normal conversation like this....almost never happens on this odd thread....while I'm at it, what do you think of Bush Government and Iraq War...? Yes or no...?

bluestar23 - 07:33pm Nov 9, 2003 EST (# 17036 of 17083)

Does Putin have any real Iraq policy? Except for "pay back all the Debt Saddam owes"...he's got to know this will never happen...what next...? Would he send the Russian troops some day, to Iraq...?

cantabb - 07:55pm Nov 9, 2003 EST (# 17037 of 17083)

I don't really liked te way we went in Iraq. Didn't quite see the urgency that they had presented. No clearly defined purpose. Major problems with our intelligence. We should have gotten UN involved; asking their help now (& the tones used) troubles many allies. There was little doubt of outcome of war -- but strategy for peace and stability wasn't quite thought through, and there were costly delays that didn't help us gain confidence of the Iraqis early.

Since we are already there, we have to work our way out (Biden's suggestion that we get EU involved has merit). Vietnam, Beirut, MOgadishu are painful reminders. Most people suspect that US troops are at continued risk and our casualties are likely to increase before there's calm. One thing leads to another, and despite heavy opposition (from public) the Congress still managed to approve $87 Billion. We do have to restore Iraq, but did we have to go alone (dragging UK)? Under current economic conditions and many under-funded domestic programs, this does rankle people.

Putin has real policy in Iraq: Let George do it.

cantabb - 07:56pm Nov 9, 2003 EST (# 17038 of 17083)

Noticed several typos etc: Nothing critical; Please ignore.

bluestar23 - 09:19pm Nov 9, 2003 EST (# 17039 of 17083)

"Since we are already there,"

Yes, I generally agree with your common-sense reply....one thing, also, is whether the Iraq war has an impact on war on terror....this has not yet been proven to my satisfaction...Bush lives every day with the difficult knowledge that his re-election hangs perhaps by just one more terrorist incident on US soil....but I doubt al-Qaeda can do this anymore, they're dead or dispersed or doomed already....

cantabb - 09:32pm Nov 9, 2003 EST (# 17040 of 17083)

Terrorism is insidious, and would be difficult to stamp out completely -- not unless the related issues and reasons for them are addressed or are set on a path that slowly takes them off the table. Many people believe that 9-11 had little or nothing to do with Iraq (even though both have avowed hostility toward US from their own reasons). But now that we are in Iraq and sentiment against our presence (as 'occupiers') is on the increase, it's not difficult to imagine how these interests will merge -- against US. However, I am not as sure about Al-Qaeda's demise.

bluestar23 - 10:02pm Nov 9, 2003 EST (# 17041 of 17083)

"However, I am not as sure about Al-Qaeda's demise."

The recent bombs in Saudi Arabia are proof that some Islamic countries do harbour uncertain numbers of terrorists. Same in Pakistan...French intellectual Bernard-Henri Levy ("Who Killed Daniel Pearl") says that there are these areas, Saudi and Pakistan, where real effort must be made, I think he is right....Bush doesn't do this yet, perhaps he feels he can't antagonize too many countries at once...

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