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Politics : Impeach George W. Bush -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: jttmab who wrote (3212)	5/23/2001 10:11:31 AM
From: Neocon	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 93284

Sorry, credibility considerations are not fluff, nor are the nuances of risk/reward (where reward equals, in this case, being able to maximize havoc). You are correct, the use of missile technology is unnecessary, but that only means it is easy enough to plug that hole. There is little reason to suppose that it would not be used, especially if there were any way of obscuring origin or responsibility, without a plug, however. The mobility of some systems, and the ability to obscure responsibility through claims of terrorist initiatives or civil turmoil, can encourage use through hopes of inhibiting massive retaliation. But besides the rogue states argument, the time is now to counter any aspiring power, such as China, insofar as the balance of power shifts to the state that enhances survivabiity. The fear of triggering an arms race fails to acknowledge the ultimate goal of SDI, which is to render nuclear weapons obsolete. The idea is that it is likelier to make verifiable draw down attractive, rather than make a massive investment in counter- measures. Supposing the reduction of nuclear arsenals, the existence of SDI would also make it difficult to launch a conventional attack on the protected areas, which are likely to extend beyond the continental United States, and include, at a minimum, our principle allies. Any serious invasion would require air cover, and that is what is vulnerable to a defensive system with a space platform. One of the advantages of nuclear weapons had been the provision of relatively cheap defense. With the adaptation of SDI to bar even conventional invasion, the advantage is maintained. Indeed, it is possible that "ground holding" would become obsolete, freeing manpower primarily for out of theater operations. In the end, the United States maintains its military advantage through technological innovation leading to greater productivity, getting a bigger bang for the buck, whether it be intelligence gathering or kill rates. This has, for example, permitted us to dispense with conscription and afford a volunteer military. We cannot afford to avoid the next logical step, which is to go into space........