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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.

lchic - 11:46pm Oct 7, 2002 EST (# 4743 of 4757)
~~~~ It got understood and exposed ~~~~

Iraq

"" Defections from Iraqi President's inner circle

AM - Tuesday, October 8, 2002 8:15

Instability in the Middle East may also be extending to the regime of Saddam Hussein in Iraq, and not just because of the threat of new Western military attacks.

Iraqi Opposition groups claim that there's been a surge of defections from the Iraqi President's inner circle, and that they include security personnel from Saddam Hussein's tribal power base around the city of Tikrit.

Though it can be difficult to separate optimism from reality in Iraqi opposition claims, still they insist that high ranking security and military officers are now more likely to launch their own coup, in co-ordination with an American military attack, encouraged considerably no doubt by 200-Million dollars in arms and training that was promised recently by the US to Iraqi opposition groups. ..... http://www.abc.net.au/am/s695796.htm

lchic - 11:53pm Oct 7, 2002 EST (# 4744 of 4757)
~~~~ It got understood and exposed ~~~~

"" Prosecuting Saddam

Does Saddam Hussein pose such a danger that the only effective response is to wage immediate war on Iraq?

The jury is still out on that key question. But the prosecution case can be found in a report presented last week by British Prime Minister Tony Blair. The Blair dossier accuses Saddam of forging ahead with plans to make weapons of mass destruction - including nuclear, chemical and biological weapons.

If, as seems increasingly likely, there is war, the Blair dossier will stand as the single most detailed piece of information given to the public about the threat that Saddam presents to the world.

Using additional material from the BBC's Panorama program, Four Corners tests the evidence presented in the Blair dossier. International military strategists, weapons specialists and former UN inspectors such as Australia's Richard Butler react to specific allegations in the Blair dossier and answer the broader basic question: is there a case for war?

Stephen McDonell reports on "Prosecuting Saddam" - Four Corners

Transcript will be here (when posted) http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/archives.htm

lchic - 12:01am Oct 8, 2002 EST (# 4745 of 4757)
~~~~ It got understood and exposed ~~~~

GU | Iraq (Genocide) - Washington

US compiles case to charge Saddam with genocide October 7: President seeks congressional support for attack on Iraq amid peace protests.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/0,2759,423009,00.html

lchic - 12:14am Oct 8, 2002 EST (# 4746 of 4757)
~~~~ It got understood and exposed ~~~~

Kabul to Bagdad - Kremmer

Kremmer speaking this weekend said to the effect that:

'the political and social infrastructure of a nation can be compared to construction of a carpet ... if the frame, weave, knots aren't correct ... it will never 'sit' properly' ...

&

... 'Merely replacing a 'leader' doesn't right the structural ills of a country, nor, assist the lot of the people'

A review | http://www.worldpress.org/Asia/587.cfm

lchic - 12:28am Oct 8, 2002 EST (# 4747 of 4757)
~~~~ It got understood and exposed ~~~~

Saddam should be toppled, prosecuted, exposed and removed - (why wasn't he removed years ago?)

Generally people aren't in doubt.

~~~~~

What seems to have happend in the current case regarding Iraq and the USA is the feeling that he USA has set itself up immodestly in the mix of - richest country, arrogant country, empire builder, world policeman/sharpshooter - overriding the UN which for years it should have supported yet didn't.

A way forward for Iraq may well be to follow Turkey, northern Iraq, and move towards the EU - which has standards 'in advance of the USA'.

If the world is suspicious regarding USA - then were the US to look back as a Nation (rather than cross national-politically)and admit to having been both right and wrong - then the world public might have more time for the eagle-entity.

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