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 [F] New York Times on the Web Forums  / Science  /

    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.


Earliest Messages Previous Messages Recent Messages Outline (4873 previous messages)

rshow55 - 06:57pm Oct 14, 2002 EST (# 4874 of 4892) Delete Message
Can we do a better job of finding truth? YES. Click "rshow55" for some things Lchic and I have done and worked for on this thread.

In the later stages of a Ponzi scheme - challenges become desperate. How to continue to justify what has been done? It gets harder and harder. Deceptions beget larger and larger deceptions.

Enron started as a legitimate firm - overclaimed - then built bigger overclaims (and bigger deceptions) to justify past overclaims - - and became a horror.

Patterns of deception were absolutely necessary during the Cold War - but since then - efforts to justify military expenditures have looked more and more like enronation .

Scott Ritter may well be understating some risks. But the Iraqis are offering many ways to check - and with some pressure - will offer many more.

Is it really necessary to spend 1200$ for every man, woman and child in the United States to defend against current threats?

Really ?

Even if it is - is the money spent now being spent honestly, and competently?

Gisterme speaks of "prudence" - - but the difference between prudence and folly is a matter of proportion .

Questions of proportion are questions of fact - - facts that can be checked.

If people with power, within the US, and elsewhere, actually ask for the checking, it will occur. If they don't, it won't. Because the "political technology" of deception and destraction in the United States is very strong - and where military budgets are concerned -- very well organized.

Bush 2000 Adviser Offered To Use Clout to Help Enron By Joe Stephens Washington Post Staff Writer Sunday, February 17, 2002

" Just before the last presidential election, Bush campaign adviser Ralph Reed offered to help Enron Corp. deregulate the electricity industry by working his "good friends" in Washington and by mobilizing religious leaders and pro-family groups . . . http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A22380-2002Feb16.html

In the face of that "political technology" - people with power have to ask for facts to be faced.

p.o.d. - 07:02pm Oct 14, 2002 EST (# 4875 of 4892)
Prince of Darkness, Yes it's Me, I'm back

Nuke 'em ..

rshow55 - 07:11pm Oct 14, 2002 EST (# 4876 of 4892) Delete Message
Can we do a better job of finding truth? YES. Click "rshow55" for some things Lchic and I have done and worked for on this thread.

Patterns of checking on "missile defense" are straightforward, and have been much discussed:

4063 rshow55 8/31/02 10:11am ... 4064 rshow55 8/31/02 10:16am

p.o.d. - 07:23pm Oct 14, 2002 EST (# 4877 of 4892)
Prince of Darkness, Yes it's Me, I'm back

Patterns of checking the 'shroom cloud get the point across much more effectively.

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