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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?

Read Debates, a new Web-only feature culled from Readers' Opinions, published every Thursday.

rshow55 - 01:03pm Feb 13, 2003 EST (# 8874 of 8879)
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.

Yesterday afternoon - I posted 8830- 8833 http://forums.nytimes.com/webin/WebX?8@28.ohjzaHcc3va.546369@.f28e622/10356 , which included this:

I've been hoping the President Bush will go down in history as one of the greatest presidents the US has had - as the president who took the actions that resulted in the solution of big problems the world has faced - problems that have greatly increased human risks and costs for decades.

It isn't that I've hoped that solutions would occur according to Bush's exact specifications - power doesn't work that way. . . . . .

but

"If power holders - including especially power holders from other nation states - asked that some key issues be faced - it could happen easily. Unless power from an external source is applied - such things may never happen - regardless of what broader public interests may be. . . . . . The Bush administration, faced with legitimate force asking for right answers - might respond very well.

If people keep their moral indignation, and their cocksure certainties under control - and keep at it - it seems to me that very many things that have festered and caused misery and risk for a long time might be able to sort out.

About a quarter of a million people die a day - many after wretched lives, and under wrenching circumstances. We're facing some problems - and there may be some tragedies. But there is a lot of room for improvement, it seems to me.

Wizard's Chess http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/05/opinion/05SUN1.html sets out key problems - and from where we are - it doesn't seem like it should take a wizard to see solutions to them.

"Washington (and the rest of the world, too) must simultaneously cope with three separate . . . threats — from Iraq, from North Korea and from the threat of reconstituted international terrorist networks."

From where we are - why should that be so hard?

It seems to me that if people keep their moral indignation, and their cocksure certainties under control - and keep at it - many things that have festered and caused misery and risk for a long time might sort out.

People, when they work at it, solve problems as complicated as these all the time. If the sophistication and focus that have been applied over the last few years to beer can manufacture were brought to bear on the problems of international peace - we'd solve the problems involved. I don't think it would take as much money as people have spent on beer can manufacture, either - if people just worked at it, and tried to be a little more honest, and a little less paralyzed than they are.

But to do that well - people have to get some facts that matter for action straight .

When things are complicated, truth is our only hope: http://talk.guardian.co.uk/WebX?14@@.ee7a163/296

almarst2002 - 01:36pm Feb 13, 2003 EST (# 8875 of 8879)

Robert,

Thanks for reminding me the imperfections of Russia. However, just as reminder, I left Russia (USSR at time) more then 30 years ago.

From what I know, corruption is a very big but the greatest problem. Lack of civil order and direct responcibility of burocrats is even bigger. The growing inequality and deficit of basic services is even greater. In my view, its miracle the Russia escaped fascizm (so far). And, its in no way thanks to the West. May be just the opposite.

I accept that my critique of US may seem to be out of proportion. For my defence I would point out to the following:

- US proclaims itself to be the shiny if not the only example of a democracy and the only possible future for the rest of the World. No other country today is taking that bold stand. However, in reality, its a very far from reality, as far as I see it.

- Given the prevealing public oppinion here I am trying to embolden and underscore the problems more then I would in face of less uniform blind expression of so called patriotism which is in fact pure shawinism.

- Given the huge imballance in real power (economic and military), what could be just imperfections for any other state, is a dangerous and unexplicable fault for US.

almarst2002 - 01:44pm Feb 13, 2003 EST (# 8876 of 8879)

"Wizard's Chess"

The problems are touching many more aspects then "Iraq, from North Korea and from the threat of reconstituted international terrorist networks."

The lost of friendship, understanding and crediblity so wide spread accross the Glob is the major and long-lasting damage which may take a very long time and effort to repair. Once the stereotipe is established, it is enforced by a very little events but requires a huge effort to change. Credibility takes many yerars of consistent effort to build and only single event to destroy.

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