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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.

almarst2002 - 06:41pm Jul 30, 2002 EST (#3356 of 3382)

Does the "Mother-Of-All-Democraties" wear durty underwear?

"when Bush received an honorary degree last year from Yale University, "he was booed, heckled and greeted with a sea of protest signs." While pointing out that Yale and Ohio State are different places, the Post reporter asserted that "the real cause of the difference in reception is the transformation of Bush and his presidency since the September 11 terrorist attacks."

There may have been no protests visible to the Post reporter, but, as other media reported, there may have been other reasons for this in addition to "adulation" for Bush. According to the Columbus Dispatch (6/15/02), students were warned ahead of time they faced arrest if they showed any signs of dissent" - http://www.fair.org/activism/bush-post-ohio.html

almarst2002 - 07:13pm Jul 30, 2002 EST (#3357 of 3382)

Recently the concern was raised about the "US of America's Image" abroad...

The nation of the 5% of the Planet which consumes and holds 25% of the World's wealth, maintains 50% of the World's military force and 25% of the Worlds inmates - significantly more then any other nation, proportionaly to its population.

The nation whitch was involved as an agressor in almost all major armed conflicts since WWII while supporting of and receiving help from the extremists, terrorist and anti-democratic movements and dictatorships of all kinds and colors as long as they are someone-else's enemy.

Seems the task would require the drafting of a reanimated Hercules... Or alternatively, the free delivery of sufficient quantity of the strong brain-affecting "medication" to the rest of the World, which may be even more expensive;)

almarst2002 - 07:47pm Jul 30, 2002 EST (#3358 of 3382)

UN calls for inquiry into American bombing - http://www.guardian.co.uk/afghanistan/story/0,1284,765644,00.html

almarst2002 - 07:48pm Jul 30, 2002 EST (#3359 of 3382)

Congress is silent, but Michael Franti, live at the Hollywood Bowl, sings loudly against President Bush's 'war on terror' - http://www.guardian.co.uk/elsewhere/journalist/story/0,7792,765579,00.html

almarst2002 - 08:01pm Jul 30, 2002 EST (#3360 of 3382)

America is actively building more and more nuclear-powered vessels. Russian military shipbuilders read information about activity of American colleagues with sadness: it turns out that US’s shipbuilding is experiencing a real boom. The rate with which America builds nuclear submarines can’t be compared with Russia’s. It is rather paradoxical but Americans financed liquidation of Russian nuclear subs with ballistic missiles provided within a so-called Nann-Lugar program, but at the same time the USA itself is expanding the nuclear threat. - http://english.pravda.ru/main/2002/07/30/33408.html

almarst2002 - 08:11pm Jul 30, 2002 EST (#3361 of 3382)

CORRUPTION, UNITED STATES PRESIDENT-STYLE - http://english.pravda.ru/main/2002/07/27/33295.html

almarst2002 - 08:19pm Jul 30, 2002 EST (#3362 of 3382)

BUSH-CHENEY WHITE HOUSE OBSTRUCTS HALLIBURTON LAWSUIT - http://www.judicialwatch.org/2221.shtml

Process Server Threatened With Jail By White House Security

White House Refuses to Allow Complaint to be Lawfully Served On Vice President Cheney

almarst2002 - 08:21pm Jul 30, 2002 EST (#3363 of 3382)

The unmistakable evidence is that the supposedly nonpolitical tax agency responds to complaints by prominent politicians. - http://www.suntimes.com/output/novak/cst-edt-novak29.html

almarst2002 - 08:31pm Jul 30, 2002 EST (#3364 of 3382)

http://www.washtimes.com/commentary/20020730-80607968.htm -

So Far So "Good"...

"Most alarming is President Bush's claim of authority to detain any United States citizen in military custody as an illegal combatant for a lifetime on his say-so alone: no right to test that designation in a court of law (with due regard for intelligence sources and methods); no right to question before an independent federal judiciary when, if ever, our war against international terrorism has sufficiently abated to terminate war powers. Moreover, President Bush's Napoleonic arrogation — something neither George Washington, nor Abraham Lincoln, nor Franklin Roosevelt thought necessary to win their wars against foes far more formidable than Osama bin Laden — is advanced without even suspending the writ of habeas corpus (subject to judicial review) as the Constitution permits during emergencies.

Immigration hearings have been ordered closed irrespective of danger to intelligence sources, methods, or national security. Ditto for the identifies of detainees held as material witnesses or suspects in terrorism investigations.

President Bush denies a right of congressional oversight or interrogation whatsoever of his national and domestic security advisers, such as Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge, National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, or political gurus Karl Rove and Andrew Card. The claim of secrecy reaches far beyond national security into routine matters of budgeting and meetings with erstwhile Enron tycoons. Mr. Bush asserts a right to block disclosures of presidential papers of his predecessors by dint of constitutional prerogative. He has relaxed internal checks against FBI dossiers on the First Amendment activities of citizens under the flag of counterterrorism.

On the domestic policy front, President Bush's hallmark has been sharp U-turns from his predecessor. Environmental standards for clean water, air, and oil and gas exploration have dipped. Endangered species protections have enervated. Wilderness and national forest preserves have been clipped.

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