ARTICLE: Cloudy Skies Knock Out Anti-Missile Defense!

[Theben]

Originally posted by The diplomat

If we have a missile defense system, then we will be able to devote more resources to protecting ourselves against small planes, ships and other nuke attacks because we won't have to worry so much about an ICBM.

Worst. Reply. Ever.

[The diplomat]

Originally posted by Arrian
We have the ultimate deterant : a ****load of our own ICBMs.

This won't work against Iran or NK.

[The diplomat]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse
I just want to know how spending billions on a buggy system will free up more resources to deal with other delivery platforms. I suppose now that everybody won't be spending 10 hours a day hiding under their beds they can get some work done.

Because it won't be buggy forever. Complex technology always requires a lot of trial and error. We'll fix the problems and we will get a NMD working. When that happens, we'll be safer against a small ICBM attack.

Just because terrorists might use a container ship or a small plane to get a nuke in, doesn't mean we should ignore the threat from ICBM's.

[KrazyHorse]

Too bad you still haven't responded substantively to my criticism of your post.

[The diplomat]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse
Too bad you still haven't responded substantively to my criticism of your post.

Yes, I answered your post. You are correct that right now spending billions of dollars on developping a missile defense system will not free up resources to protect ourselves against a terrorist nuke. But in the long term, having a missile defense system will make us safer against an ICBM attack, allowing us to focus more on terrorist threats.

What you are suggesting, will help us prevent a terrorist nuke attack but it does nothing to protect ourselves from a ICBM threat.

My point is that we can do both. We are taking measures to protect ourselves against a terrorist nuke. Developing a missile defense will also help protect ourselves from ICBM.

[KrazyHorse]

But in the long term, having a missile defense system will make us safer against an ICBM attack, allowing us to focus more on terrorist threats.

Dumbass post.

Unless you can explain what resources currently being used to guard against ICBM threats will be freed up to deal with terrorist threats you've not managed to respond to anybody's satisfaction.

[KrazyHorse]

In other words what you're saying is equivalent to:

"While I know you think that guarding against terrorist threats is the most important thing you should be happy that we're spending billions of dollars on our anti-Martian system. Once the system is operational it will allow us to stop worrying about the imminent Martian invasion and focus on terrorism"

It's a red herring unless resources were already being spent on other anti-Martian devices.

[Theben]

You're also (diplomat) failing to realize, or acknowledge, that money used for better logistics, troops, and planning in Iraq would not only help combat terrorism, but potentially help reduce the threat of nutjobs with nukecases in the future.

Definite immediate benefits with foreseeable long-term ones, as opposed to unlikely long-term benefits only.

Decisions.

[Theben]

Of course, it could also be a way to shift the debate from support Iraqi intervention/don't support, to supply troops/supply Star Wars II. Bush isn't that sneaky but his advisors are.

Seemed to work here, too.

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by The diplomat
Don't tell me the military uses Windows? That might explain the "anomaly".

They do.

You should be scared now.

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Theben
Of course, it could also be a way to shift the debate from support Iraqi intervention/don't support, to supply troops/supply Star Wars II. Bush isn't that sneaky but his advisors are.

Don't you think the former debate was concluded some time ago?

[Dis]

edit: you guys beat me to it

[Geronimo]

Like most of you I am dismayed that so much money was spent on a largely untested system at a time when the US faces fewer ICBM threats than ever before.

However, since we are now stuck with this huge boondoggle regardless, I've been trying to think of scenarios in which it could serve it's purpose.

One idea that came to me was that a large islamic country would experience a viruently anti US revolution and gain access to ICBM's while under the leadership of islamic fundementalist wackos who would believe one successful missle strike on the US would unite the entire rest of the Islamic world against the US once the US retaliated by cratering the islamic revolutionary country.

Seems really unlikely to me but i suppose if it ever did happen the missle shield could be of some use.

Has anybody been able to come up with any other scenarios where the missle shield might make any difference?

[Jon Miller]

well, our system wouldn't work against the USSRs of the world

and not even the China's

I guess I we are just hoping it will work agains tthe North Koreas and Irans..

Jon Miller

[Hurricane]

Maybe a spin-off of it could be a missile shield to protect the earth against comets on collision course. I read somewhere that there is a slight risk we might be hit in the next 100,000 years.