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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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rshow55 - 01:32pm Jul 29, 2002 EST (#3339 of 3339)

RShowalter=RShow55=RShowalt . . . . I don't think there's been any doubt of that.

I notice that mazza9 7/29/02 11:59am , makes a "joke" -- but makes no effort to deny or in any way dispute what I call " a very high likelyhood - not far short of a certainty - that wrcooper, kalter.rauch, mazza, and dirac are pseudonyms for George Johnson." rshow55 7/29/02 9:34am

Some things ought to be checked. Because a good deal is involved.

Involved for me and the AEA investors of course -- and for Johnson, the "family man" wrcooper defended so actively.

But the national interest - and some significant interests of the New York Times are also involved.

Sorting out the truth, on a relatively few checkable points, would be worth a lot.

I've been playing it as straight and as honorably as I've known how. On issues where the stakes have been high.

For example. It appears very likely indeed (and this can be checked) that Condoleeza Rice has participated very actively on this thread -- which would mean that George Bush, and others high in the administration know about it, and care about it. Given some of the things gisterme has said and done (some, but not all, to his-her credit) that's an interesting question. Interesting in terms of national and international politics.

There are some other issues, too. Things worth checking.

The things that Eisenhower warned about in his FAREWELL ADDRESS of January 17, 1961 http://www.geocities.com/~newgeneration/ikefw.htm have happened. Getting some facts straight aobut what's happened on this thread, and checkable things I've said could take us a long way towards getting some important things fixed.

MD3295-96 rshowalt 7/26/02 7:15pm

I'm thinking about some questions.

What would "the average reader of The New York Times " want me to do now?

What would Bill Casey want me to do?

It seems to me that the answers involve getting some facts straight, about what has happened. I was asked to do a dangerous, hard job - a long time ago - under conditions where, again and again, I'd have to struggle with credentialling problems. I'm working to keep my promises - and take reasonable care of myself, as well.

New York Times on the Web Forums Science Missile Defense