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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 - 08:38am Nov 10, 2002 EST (# 5573 of 5575)
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.

I think that, within the limits on "consistency" that come in multiply articulated circumstances, Iraq was trying to be sincere, thinking it was sincere when it wrote this:

"After so many years of fear from war, the threat of war and suffering, the people of Iraq and their government in Baghdad are eager for peace. We have no intention of attacking anyone, now or in the future, with weapons of any kind. If we are attacked, we will surely defend ourselves with all means possible. But bear in mind that we have no nuclear or biological or chemical weapons, and we have no intention of acquiring them.

"We are not asking the people of the United States or of any member state of the United Nations to trust in our word, but to send the weapons inspectors to our country to look wherever they wish unconditionally.

from Iraq States Its Case by MOHAMMED ALDOURI http://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/17/opinion/17ALDO.html

That passage says "you don't have to trust us - - you can check us."

And steps that represent major change have been made:

. Iraq Announces Amnesty for Its Prisoners http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/international/AP-Iraq.html

. Abrupt Amnesty at Iraqi Prisons: A Joy for Many, Grief for Some By JOHN F. BURNS http://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/22/international/middleeast/22PRIS.html with ( Images of Sudden Freedom and Frenzy )

reports an institutional change of great consequence.

The angry words and concerns are sincere, too.

Arabs Expect Iraq to Submit to U.N. By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Filed at 4:59 a.m. ET http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/international/AP-Iraq-UN.html

includes vital and reasonable Iraqi concerns, that must be and can be made consistent with the recent Security Council resolution:

" . . . . Iraqi acceptance would depend on the guarantees that ``inspectors would act in a neutral ... and objective way, respecting strictly all the resolutions of the Security Council particularly those with regard to the respect of Iraqi sovereignty.''

"Iraq had accused inspectors who were in the country during 1991-1998 of acting as spies.

"The new resolution gives inspectors unrestricted access to any site, and that could remain a point of dispute. Iraq insists on respect for its sovereignty, an argument it has used in the past to restrict access to Saddam's palaces.

It needs to be clear what Iraq is talking about, and cares so much about - when the word "sovereignty" is used. It is a key to the working of his state - or any other state. The issue is status - in a world where most of the day by day decisions and actions taken are based on people doing "the expected" - doing what they think is right in terms of status relations and expectations linked to them.

There is a clear sense in which the status of the Iraqi government must be maintained in ways that permit it to function - and should be maintained.

Gracefully, and without compromising the reality of disarmament.

rshow55 - 08:44am Nov 10, 2002 EST (# 5574 of 5575)
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.

Not that I believe everything the Iraqis say.

Adults need secrets, lies, and fictions
To live within their contradictions.

But when things go wrong,
And knock about
Folks get together
And work it out.

. . .

When it matters enough, some past secrets, lies and fictions have to be set straight.

Without forgettig that we all have some faults, and have perpetrated some indirectnesses.

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