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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 - 07:22pm Sep 11, 2002 EST (# 4263 of 17697)
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.

This is a sad time - a time for reflection - and reflection is happening all over the world.

On Sunday, the NYT expressed dissatisfaction at President Bush's performance

An Uncertain Trumpet ... http://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/08/opinion/08SUN1.html

"Most of us had expected the country to be in a different place by now. The fact that it is not can be attributed largely to President Bush's failure to leverage the political and moral capital Sept. 11 provided."

It is a tribute both to the TIMES, and to George W. Bush, that President of the United States responded today in an OpEd piece - expressing values almost all Americans share, and some judgements some Americans disagree with, and have a right to question, and to check against realities.

Securing Freedom's Triumph By GEORGE W. BUSH http://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/11/opinion/11BUSH.html

In great tragedy, we have also seen great opportunities.

One can share many of his values - but what of his facts, and his sense of proportion?

Anger at U.S. Said to Be at New High By JANE PERLEZ http://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/11/international/middleeast/11ARAB.html

Foreigners Ache for U.S., but Also Take Issue With It By FRANK BRUNI http://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/11/international/12WORLD.html

Values and proportions are subject to question - and questions of fact can be checked. Some very serious practical and moral questions can be raised, and here are some:

Echo of the Bullhorn By MAUREEN DOWD http://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/11/opinion/11DOWD.html

The president shifted his attention from a hard war to an easy war, from an unconventional war with no end or bad guys in sight to a conventional war with a clearly discernible end and bad guy.

I was very impressed with Friedman's piece, and his insistence on norms.

Noah and 9/11 By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN http://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/11/opinion/11FRIE.html

After the deluge of 9/11 we have two choices: We can numb ourselves to the world, and plug our ears, or we can try to repair that jagged hole in the wall of civilization by insisting, more firmly and loudly than ever, on rules and norms — both for ourselves and for others.

What about the norm that expects people to be responsible for what they do - to check facts, and not lie? In the Middle East, there are enormous problems, just there. And Americans have their problems, too. Proportionately many fewer than in many other countries. But some of our problems with deception and self deception are crucial, to ourselves and to others -- especially when we ask others to trust us, and follow us. We have to ask for better conduct and more honesty from others. To do that, as effectively as we need to, we need to be more honest ourselves.

I wonder how many political leaders, or military staffs in NATO countries, or anywhere in the world, actually take our Missile Defense programs seriously in a military sense? That isn't necessarily the most sympathetic question for today -- but an interesting question of fact - at a time when questions of fact are very important -- because costs and consequences are important - and missed chances are important.

Much of the past has gone far worse than we've hoped and expected. What of the future? Maybe we should check our assumptions more carefully, and more often -- and be grateful when others ask us to do so.

When we ask for agreements about "certainties" -- where do those certainties come from? If the answer is - from our religion - - we need better answers that can be more widely agreed on.

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