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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 (8791 previous messages)

rshow55 - 11:51am Feb 10, 2003 EST (# 8792 of 8796) 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.

I feel that http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/09/weekinreview/09GOOD.html is worth looking at again.

Here is a prayer from the imam of Mecca's Grand Mosque - for comparison.

From: AFP --Newsgroups Subject: [Sm85] Mecca's Grand Mosque imam prays for victory to Muslims

"MECCA, Saudi Arabia, Feb 7 (AFP) - The imam of Mecca's Grand Mosque, the holiest shrine in Islam, prayed for Muslims to be victorious against their foes, in a final Friday sermon before two million faithful take part in the annual hajj pilgrimage.

"Strong belivers are not scared of death regardless of how loud the enemies beat the drums" of war, Sheikh Saud al-Shraim told the pilgrims as he prayed for God to help Muslims achieve victory.

"Believers are aware that life has a limit and that the Almighty controls our destiny ... They should expect either victory or martyrdom, both of which should be sought," added Shraim, without singling out any enemies.

The imam urged the worshippers, who filled the giant mosque and all roads leading to it, to stay away from disturbances during the hajj which reaches its climax on Monday.

Saudi Arabia's top cleric in remarks published Friday accused "enemies of Islam" of working to undermine the Islamic nation.

"The Islamic ummah (nation) is facing many challenges from its enemies," said Sheikh Abdul Aziz al-Sheikh, the grand mufti of Saudi Arabia.

These challenges include "fighting against the Islamic faith, the ummah's foundations, principles, values, economy and culture. They aim at containing this nation," the mufti said.

The area around the Grand Mosque, which contains hundreds of high-rise hotels and shopping malls, was flooded with a sea of humanity, many of whom waited for hours under the scorching heat of Mecca.

This year's hajj is being overshadowed by serious security concerns over growing US threats to attack neighbouring Iraq. The cabinet has appealed for calm and urged pilgrims to steer clear of trouble.

The kingdom's top leaders, including King Fahd, Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz and Defense Minister Prince Sultan bin Abdul aziz, have moved to Mecca to oversee the pilgrimage.

- - - - -

A President Puts His Faith in Providence By LAURIE GOODSTEIN http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/09/weekinreview/09GOOD.html ends with this, from Elaine Pagel:

""Religious language can be unifying. It can also be enormously divisive and dangerous. If there is an axis of evil, that obviously places him in the axis of good, and also means that anyone who disagrees with the policies he is advocating is placed on the other side."

If we're to face up to the complications of real life, responsibly - we have to face a reality about human nature that is more complicated than that. Technical facts are part of that reality.

8742 http://forums.nytimes.com/webin/WebX?8@93.V6nHaVe12l2.1804844@.f28e622/10268

rshow55 - 04:30pm Feb 10, 2003 EST (# 8793 of 8796) 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.

Iraq Agrees to Allow U-2 Flights By JULIA PRESTON http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/10/international/middleeast/10cnd-nations.html

UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 10 — The Iraqi ambassador to the United Nations delivered a letter from Baghdad today to the chief United Nations weapons inspectors agreeing to allow flights over the country of photographic surveillance aircraft.

Iraq also promised to move swiftly to adopt national legislation banning all weapons of mass destruction, the ambassador, Mohammed A. Aldouri, said.

The letter came after the arms chiefs, Hans Blix and Mohamed ElBaradei, held two days of talks in Baghdad over the weekend with top Iraqi officials.

For all Iraq's faults - this is a long way from Hitlerian defiance.

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