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US Missle Interceptor Tests a Success
An anonymous reader writes to mention that the U.S. Missile Defense Agency and Lockheed Martin recently reported success in the test flight of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile system. "THAAD is designed to defend U.S. troops, allied forces, population centers and critical infrastructure against short- to intermediate range ballistic missiles. THAAD comprises a fire control and communications system, interceptors, launchers and a radar. The THAAD interceptor uses hit-to-kill technology to destroy targets, and is the only weapon system that engages threat ballistic missiles at both endo- and exo-atmospheric altitudes."
A few quibbles with this "test":
IIRC about $60 billion has been spent on ABM since 1950, with negligible results. What a super porkbarrel for the techies!
I liked the entire mad concept. It made not only anyone in power but their military think twice about their actions to some extent.
Actualy I am a fan of MAD but it would only work if the arms race was already under way. I guess a limitation would be that the threat would need to have existed before it was capitolized on. Thats what most objectors have issue with. They tend to think (or want to think) the threat can be eliminated without using it. But any country can eliminate the known threat and secretly build the weapons without the other side knowing. So the advantage of mutualy assured destruction is that those weapons can never be used with an expectation of anyone ever benefiting from a war. In the hands of large populations like russia and the US, it is very efective.
In the hands of someone like Iran who wants a war with the US for some religious experience, it would suck. But the problem there is mre to the importance of Iran, Not to many people care about them outside their ability to make war with others. With WMDs the MAD principle fails because it would force people to change that opinion. And when a country is starving for attention, It is likley it will get some one way or another.
We need to create a new ABM treaty and take it further. Nuclear weapons are the one great threat to the very existence of mankind (that we have created ourself). They should be irradicated utterly, and no one whatsoever should have them at all. The current nuclear powers should disarm and the united nations should resolve that the mere development, construction or preperation to construct or develop nuclear weapons is itself a crime against humanity. Nuclear weapons should be utterly understood by all concerned to be off the table.
Of course the united states would never go for this as nuclear weapons are big business. so basically we're screwed.
It should be patently obvious to virtually anyone that a nuclear arms race is utterly immoral. arms races in general are immoral, but a nuclear arms races are so over the top immoral that it boggles the imagination.
No one has a right to their *own* opinion. They have a right to the TRUTH.
You've got to learn to understand this administration. In the first instance, "Mission Accomplished" meant that the mission of making sure that a forever war had been created that would enrich military contractors for decades to come, to give back what had been taken from them when the Soviet Union went belly-up in such an unexpected manner. That, and protecting Americans from having to get their hair mussed up trying to figure out alternatives to fossil fuels. And never mind that Bush and Co. were all in the oil business. That's not in the least bit relevant. Just more crazy hippie talk.
This time, "Mission Accomplished" means that they can now justify (sort of) another few trillion keeping those same friendly contractors busy building [drumroll, please] MISSILE DEFENSE, the Star Wars of the new millennium.
Problem is, the enemy du jour (Islamonazifascistliberals) don't really have much in the way of missiles. But far be it from the guys in charge to let that stop them. It's easier to sign a check than actually get a clue. And much easier to light a fuse than tell someone who's poured millions into your campaigns that they're going to have to start working for a living.
You are welcome on my lawn.
Anonymous shithead Coward, you just offer more chances to tell the truth about this evil Iraq War and its fans like you.
Most Iraqis want us out immediately, you insane lying warmonger.
A fagot is a bundle of sticks, you illiterate homophobe.
My mother is dead, and she still wouldn't fuck a necrophile like you.
At night, the ice weasels come and eat Anonymous pisspants Cowards.
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make install -not war