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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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almarst2002 - 03:12pm Dec 12, 2002 EST (# 6555 of 6575)

$ 5bn MILITARY debt!

commondata - 05:21pm Dec 12, 2002 EST (# 6556 of 6575)

rshow55 12/12/02 12:09pm -- Sometimes fights have to happen

And I guess that's inevitable when a naive idealist meets a Cold War Warrior.

So when the law becomes a minor inconvenience in your singular desire for war, you say "well, it doesn't matter, there's no exception handling, it's being renegotiated"? I'd certainly hope it is because at the moment it's woefully inadequate. But it's the law now.

There's a mosaic of fights of all sorts played out within and across borders every day. The very least that we all deserve is a minimum set of rules to protect us from the aggression of others. Not only did you sign up for that but it helps in all those muddles and contradictions; it represents that common ground - that Disney story you talk about - and we should cling to it in all it's imperfections and make it better. Not defecate on it - as natural as that may be; to quote:

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.

almarst2002 12/12/02 2:54pm - 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.

That's exactly what it is and the people responsible for those decisions should be tried as murderers.

rshow55 - 08:21pm Dec 12, 2002 EST (# 6557 of 6575)
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 stand by every word I said in rshow55 12/12/02 12:09pm . . . the idea that I have a "singular desire for war" seems strange to me - - but perhaps it will make more sense in the morning.

There have to be balances, and sometimes, they are quantitative. I'm not in favor of war with Iraq if it does at it has agreed to do - - and think my position there would be quite close to Jimmy Carter's.

But sometimes there have to be decisions. My guess is that, many more times than not - my ideas about proper decisions would match Annan's. But there are times when decisions have to be made - even at the price of conflict.

Case in point:

If Bin Laden and his people believe that the only acceptable outcome of their efforts is the defeat of all modern values - and the substitution of fundamentalist Islam, Sharia laws and all - it is reasonable -- and yes, I think moral - to fight about that. Even if, perchance, the fight involves the death of many of Bin Laden's supporters. Even if, perhaps, some innocents also die - though that is something to be minimized, whenever and however possible.

Ideally, fights should be at the level of ideas. But if that isn't possible - - there are times when the costs of ongoing muddle are high enough to warrant fighting.

After a point, no matter how "good" your rules are -- there has to be some exception handling. And after a point - it has to be a matter of balances.

International law is being renegotiated now - and it isn't clear, just now, that the process is going badly.

For my part - I hope Saddam's regime does what it has agreed to do, and survives.

Even so - sometimes there have to be fights.

I'm taking some time off -- won't be back till tomorrow - but I don't think what I said in rshow55 12/12/02 12:09pm is avoidable.

rshow55 - 08:25pm Dec 12, 2002 EST (# 6558 of 6575)
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.

There are sometimes problems, both practical and moral, involved with trying political leaders as murderers.

http://talk.guardian.co.uk/WebX?14@@.ee7b085/401

That's true when one is angry at Iraqis - or Americans.

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