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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 - 12:47pm Feb 16, 2003 EST (# 8991 of 8996)
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 don't disagree that there are screwups - negligences - and outrages, as well. I still think that

"It is much too easy for people, including almarst , to discount honest and worthwhile ideals on the part of the US and the UK"

That doesn't mean that serious questions shouldn't be asked. I think they should be asked.

8928 http://forums.nytimes.com/webin/WebX?8@28.uv2jaiEy3ae.941584@.f28e622/10454 included this:

A dramatic question should be considered. With the sense of proportion and priorities shown by GW Bush, and the US military-industrial complex in back of him - is it right for the United States to have command of NATO on anything like current terms?

http://talk.guardian.co.uk/WebX?14@@.ee7a163/407

http://talk.guardian.co.uk/WebX?14@@.ee7a163/408

If, as I believe, gisterme is either GW Bush, or someone very close to him - other NATO nations should look at what gisterme has said - and make a judgement about how much unconditional trust Bush merits. With current NATO arrangements - unconditional trust has been, too often, exactly what the US has insisted on. It seems to me that discussion about adjustments ought to be considered - and discussed - rather than evaded.

8796 http://forums.nytimes.com/webin/WebX?8@28.uv2jaiEy3ae.941584@.f28e622/10322 includes this:

We have a mess. It is in the interest of the whole world that it be fixed. By now, it can't be fixed, reasonably, without some leaders of other nation states asking questions - and insisting on answers

At the same time - I think it is a mistake - both practically and morally - to discount the hard efforts, and good intentions in his own terms, that Bush shows. If some questions were asked - by legitimate power holders from other states - Bush might be able to do a superb job of solving his own problems, and many of the world's.

Although I don't think, these days, that there is much reason to have unconditional trust in the word of the United States. I'm sorry to feel so.

lchic - 12:54pm Feb 16, 2003 EST (# 8992 of 8996)
~~~~ It got understood and exposed ~~~~

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/letter_from_america/default.stm

lchic - 12:59pm Feb 16, 2003 EST (# 8993 of 8996)
~~~~ It got understood and exposed ~~~~

NATO

http://www.google.com.au/search?q=NATO&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&btnG=Google+Search&meta=

lchic - 01:04pm Feb 16, 2003 EST (# 8994 of 8996)
~~~~ It got understood and exposed ~~~~

Turkey - NATO (Defense Planning Committee) holding intensive talks in Brussels - Turkey - provision of extra support

Belgium not happy with the way the tough-talks are going

almarst2002 - 01:06pm Feb 16, 2003 EST (# 8995 of 8996)

The following is the letter I send to:

George Bush: president@whitehouse.gov

Tony Blair: hcinfo@parliament.uk

Silvio Berlusconi: redazione.web@governo.it

I am concern the war and occupation of Iraq will have a terrible consequences for the World. While the majority (me including) would like to see the end of Saddam's regime and lifting of extremely harmful sanctions affecting mostly the innocent defenseless population, the war has its own terrible cost.

Before you make your final decision, please consider the consequences.

The blood of innocent civilians will stain the hands of the nations calling themselves civilized. Civility can not be promoted by violence.

The International Laws and Institutions, for all their imperfections, which helped to maintain some level of stability and security after the WWII, are in a great danger to become irrelevant when some powerful nations chose to ignore them. The power of law will be substituted by the law of power.

The people across the World expressed their will and aspirations, including your own countries. Ignoring them would undermine the trust in elected governments - the basic foundation of democracy which make take generations to restore.

Please think again.

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