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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 - 12:09pm Dec 12, 2002 EST (# 6549 of 6555)
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.

commondata 12/12/02 7:30am

Article 2(4) of the UN Charter prohibits any nation from using force. The Charter contains only two exceptions: when such force is employed in self-defense or when it is authorized by the UN Security Council.

That part of international law is being renegotiated - with some exception handling put into place. I disagree with the Bush administration in some spots - but think they are entirely right that a blanket prohibition on the use of force is simply not workable. This is an area where renegotiation is occurring - and there will be some exception handling put into place. There has to be.

Sometimes fights have to happen. Many of the problems of the world, these days, occur because there haven't been nearly enough fights - on things that actually matter - and that fighting, when it occurs - is not well thought out - and, too often, stupidly executed.

Fights have costs. Sometimes high ones. Sometimes prohibitive costs.

Muddles and contradictions have costs, as well. Sometimes costs so high that the costs of fighting have to be borne.

If people had sense enough to see that obvious fact - a lot of things could be sorted out at much lower human costs than are currently being incurred.

Without some reasonable exception handling about fights - better than any now clearly in place - - international law just isn't workable.

Prohibition of fighting makes as much sense as prohibition of defecation. One can restrict time and place. One can set conditions. But there are times - for basic reasons - where when you have to - - you have to.

almarst2002 - 02:54pm Dec 12, 2002 EST (# 6550 of 6555)

Giving the current distribution of balance of power in the World its not any more a Fight. Its a cold-blooded murder from a safe distance.

Precisely the situation which brought up the phenomenon of terrorism and particularely, the suicidal method of.

It is incredible the "modern" society approves marder and destruction on any scale when done by a regular military. While crying fool facing the suicidal terrorists. They may be mislead and vishes fanatics but surely not scared senceless indiferent ignorant cold-blooded murderers.

almarst2002 - 03:00pm Dec 12, 2002 EST (# 6551 of 6555)

A broken promise? - http://dw-world.de/english/0,3367,1430_A_712661_1_A,00.html

The reality of what the West is calling "democracy"

almarst2002 - 03:03pm Dec 12, 2002 EST (# 6552 of 6555)

U.N. Official Won't Reveal Iraq Suppliers to the Public - http://www.nytimes.com/2002/12/11/international/middleeast/11NATI.html?ex=1040627354&ei=1&en=86979a06798e7edb

Another example of the same.

almarst2002 - 03:06pm Dec 12, 2002 EST (# 6553 of 6555)

Industry oil sources said the Bush administration has been examining the role of U.S. energy companies in Iraq after the toppling of President Saddam Hussein. They said British and U.S. firms could play a major role in refurbishing and expanding Iraq's oil and natural gas production. - http://menewsline.com/stories/2002/december/12_11_1.html

And now, back to the point...

almarst2002 - 03:10pm Dec 12, 2002 EST (# 6554 of 6555)

"Turkey has about $5bn in military debt to the US, and that will be on the table. Turkey is throwing big numbers around, of about $25bn in assistance, but that does not seem realistic. They will be wanting to address foreign military sales from the US, economic aid and IMF support. If the US wants ground troops in Turkey, they will have to pay a price for it." - http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1039523392197&p=1012571727162

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