ARTICLE: Cloudy Skies Knock Out Anti-Missile Defense!

[DRoseDARs]

I saw that on the Headline News' scroller at the bottom of the screen while surfing channels. Got a good chuckle out of it.

[mindseye]

Oh, the latest failure has brought this thread back to life!

Originally posted by Patroklos


You keep repeating this "chimeny thing," not sure if you realize how not clever and not logical the thing is.

Looks like you're not getting it. Try this, then you tell me specifically what's inapplicable about it:

Spending a lot of money on a chimney defense system (even a 100% effective one) won't increase your security if there are other ways a would-be intruder could gain entry to your home, especially when those other ways are much easier than climbing through the chimney.

Two threats here.

1.) A limited ICBM launch that can be countered.

Well, first off, we haven't seen much real-world proof yet that such an attack really could be countered at any cost.

But far more importantly, unless defense funds are limitless, defense expenditures (like any form of insurance) must take into account the probability of a given form of attack. In other words, simply because an attack could somehow be countered doesn't justify the expenditure.

For example, the shores of the Great Lakes could be much better protected against large-scale amphibious invasion from Canada, but that does not justify spending real funds on it -- because the threat is so unlikely.

2.) A limited "smuggled nuke" threat that can't be countered. Incidently Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union, Communist China, INSOC etc. with their infinitly more closed societies could not either.

Number 2 is the wasted money, becuase no matter what we throw at it that threat will always be a viable option to any party pursuing it.

If nothing can be done to prevent this type of attack, does that necessarily justify spending on defense against a far less likely attack?

Besides, there are lots of other choices for spending our defense dollars besides NMD and protecting coastlines, I gave examples earlier in this thread. At least these other choices actually increase our (and the world's) security - unlike the NMD chimney defense system.

[Dis]

Originally posted by DRoseDARs
I saw that on the Headline News' scroller at the bottom of the screen while surfing channels. Got a good chuckle out of it.

yes, millions of dollars of my money, down the drain.

[DRoseDARs]

@ Diss' (and my) wasted tax dollars