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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.

rshow55 - 02:55pm May 5, 2002 EST (#2026 of 2043)

MD789 rshow55 3/23/02 9:22pm links to Friedman's The Lexus and the Olive Tree and to Debate? Dissent? Discussion? Oh, Don't Go There! by MICHIKO KAKUTANI http://www.nytimes.com/2002/03/23/arts/23STUD.html , which has some hopeful things to say about how the internet may make more sophisticated and peaceful responses possible.

rshow55 - 03:00pm May 5, 2002 EST (#2027 of 2043)

See Fig 1 of http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/whats_happening/research/pdf_res_notes/rn00-53.pdf - - the ME, and other islamic countries, could benefit from a LOT more connectivity.

And the tools and conventions might be improved as well, so that more of Friedman's hopes for globalization might be realised. After all, we are globalising - and as Friedman says above, we need to find ways to do it well.

lchic - 03:01pm May 5, 2002 EST (#2028 of 2043)

Maybe WillGates is contributing to connectivity (via the foundation) re the IIIrd world.

Wonder if Friedman's been into RU to promote the LexOliTree yet :)

rshow55 - 03:01pm May 5, 2002 EST (#2029 of 2043)

He might have some interesting visits. Putin has used the internet to good effect - including a live session on the BBC, as I remember.

lchic - 03:03pm May 5, 2002 EST (#2030 of 2043)

Time for a follow-up? Russia has had an interesting year making good progress domestically and internationally.

lchic - 03:10pm May 5, 2002 EST (#2031 of 2043)

^{Queen avoids £20m inheritance tax
Nicholas Hellen and Jack Grimston (SundayTimes)}

The Queen is to exercise an obscure clause in a 1993 deal with the Conservative government in order to avoid paying tax on her mother's legacy

rshow55 - 03:19pm May 5, 2002 EST (#2032 of 2043)

lchic 5/5/02 3:03pm Maybe it is time for a follow-up. A lot has happened since "Muddle in Moscow" http://www.economist.com/displayStory.cfm?Story_ID=533129 ..... ... ...

MD252-253 rshow55 3/7/02 8:56pm ... MD481-84 rshow55 3/13/02 7:22pm
MD896 rshow55 3/28/02 11:35am ... MD1124-1127 rshow55 4/5/02 4:04pm
MD1155-1156 rshow55 4/6/02 7:20pm ... MD1665-1666 rshow55 4/22/02 4:02pm

Maybe I could suggest a movie deal to the Russians, specifically to Putin!

lchic - 03:23pm May 5, 2002 EST (#2033 of 2043)

Soldier vandals charged

TEN Israel soldiers were indicted this week for looting and vandalism as the IDF admitted some troops had blatantly violated orders during Operation Defensive Shield.

Chief army spokesman Brig-Gen. Ron Kitrey confirmed a Haaretz report that there had been widespread and unnecessary destruction of Palestinian property during the military offensive.

Palestinians have also claimed personal possessions, including jewellery, office equipment and shop goods, were stolen by troops during the incursion.

And Kitrey told Army Radio on Tuesday: ''The things reported, unfortunately...are true, both the description and the facts and that really hurts because in the end it is the acts of a few that stain the general public and all Israeli army units.''

He said the soldiers' actions were ''a blatant violation of orders'' and added that those involved in such incidents would be dealt with ''very seriously''.

Dozens of shops were looted in the West Bank, but the IDF says that after soldiers blasted locks off doors to search for suspects, businesses were often left open - sometimes for days - and Palestinians could be responsible for the looting.

Meanwhile, the IDF said on Monday that Palestinians in the Jenin refugee camp have been inflating the number of residents killed during Operation Defensive Shield by adding bodies from a local cemetery to a mass grave containing the remains of 26 residents killed in the IDF operation.

An IDF spokesman said the action had increased the total number of corpses at the site to 50.He added that since the army pullout from the camp, 21 innocent residents had been wounded by explosive devices planted by Palestinian terrorists during the IDF operation. (AP)

http://www.jewishtelegraph.com/

lchic - 03:28pm May 5, 2002 EST (#2034 of 2043)

Arrogant Hyperbole with VANDALISM MEast was also on display here (transcript Tues)
^{http://news.ninemsn.com.au/sixtyminutes/stories/2002_05_05/story_574.asp}

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