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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 - 07:41am May 8, 2002 EST (#2079 of 2114)

Friedman speaks today of issues that are more than just "emotional" of course -- but emotions matter, as well, and ought to be carefully remembered when they involve the emotions involved in murder and repression.

The War on What? by THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN http://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/08/opinion/08FRIE.html

When Friedman speaks of the Indonesian army "running amok" -- it is important to know what he's referring to.

MD68 rshow55 3/2/02 8:31am includes this:

"East Timor

"In 1975, the government of Indonesia invaded and annexed East Timor, an independent and sovereign nation-state, and killed approximately 200,000 of its inhabitants—roughly one-third of its population (the largest proportional genocide since the Holocaust). Kissinger and President Ford gave approval for the invasion to Indonesia's dictator, General Suharto, who received economic and military aid from the United States. This approval, argues Hitchens, makes Kissinger complicit in crimes against humanity.

. East Timor (from Time.com ) http://www.time.com/time/daily/newsfiles/timor/

. Dossier: A relatively painless primer on the history of the conflict in East Timor (from Mother Jones ) http://www.motherjones.com/east_timor/dossier/

. East Timor: Questions & Answers (from Z Magazine)

. We helped them descend into hell (from the New Statesman)

. East Timor: Long Road Ahead (from the BBC) http://news6.thdo.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/asia-pacific/newsid_646000/646393.stm

On 09:57am Jul 30, 2001 lunarchick commented

"The worry re the Indonesian Army is that they set up milita who in turn bully, beat, and kill the local population. This is happening now on the Islands with mineral resources. In West Papua the technique is to move Indonesians onto the Island - who inturn outnumber the original inhabitants - whose land was stolen. The wealth is being drained to the East Javanese. Suharto (and family) still have vast holdings - with money - to pay private armies to do their dirty work. I doubt if Megawatti will be a human rights champion .... more likely to put the Army in charge of the country and let it do what it wants.

"The Indonesian Army has people who were trained in Oz - perhaps they should include info re moral education and ethics - and hope it flows north.

Are we giving "guidance" in just the opposite direction? Friedman suggests we may be.

We need to set good examples, not bad ones. With security usages as they stand - we often do quite the opposite. On "missile defense" an enormous boondoggle is being continued, beyond reason - exactly because of the kinds of cancerous secrecy Moynihan treats in Secrets .

In the United States, much too often, people are afraid to look at, or even discuss, either factual truths that ought to be discussable - or moral decisions that ought to be clearly, publicly discussable. It took some courage, I'm sure, for Friedman to write as he did today.

rshow55 - 08:02am May 8, 2002 EST (#2080 of 2114)

More Enron Mischief http://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/08/opinion/_08WED2.html

"California says the documents provide reason for Washington to keep those caps in place. Indeed they do. The documents should also inspire investigators inquiring into Enron's behavior to keep pressing until they completely understand exactly what Enron was up to, and who precisely was responsible for the colorfully named strategies that burdened the state's taxpayers and its economy.

Similar tactics to the Enron manipulation are much easier under cover of security, and the culture of the military-industrial complex.

What a wonderful thing it would be if it were possible to look at missile defense, and a good deal else in the military budget, in a similar spirit. It would be wonderful if it were possible to

" inspire investigators inquiring into the government's behavior to keep pressing until they completely understand exactly what the government was up to, and who precisely was responsible for the colorfully named (or totally hidden) strategies that burdened the country's taxpayers and its economy."

MD1318 rshow55 4/12/02 6:59pm

lchic - 09:21am May 8, 2002 EST (#2081 of 2114)

Showalter - posted Kristof's phrase

.... should think in new directions, like extending trade or, especially, trying to confront feelings of humiliation that may well be more explosive than poverty or illiteracy "

One notes that Bush is said to 'not have a clear policy' ... I perceive a welcome shift in his thinking from being 100% pro Israel towards a more balanced and even handed stance. His policy might include a transfer of publically raised dollars currently going to Israel (to be used in vandalism) towards the people with real needs - Palestinians. Israel has had a fantastic deal from the USA - time it relied on private donations only.

The whole area of both Palestine and Israel should be built-up as a functioning economic zone - not just an Israeli zone.

Sharon has run away from Washington to Israel saying he is determined to once again thrash Palestine ... rather than work for peace. When will he realise that he won't beat a people into 'submission' ... they are already 5th Class citizens in their own lifetime - how much lower are they expected to sink?

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