Psst, George maybe you haven't heard but...

[p_p_man]

there's been a cover up!

"Inquiry held into Star Wars 'cover up'

Julian Borger in Washington
Friday January 3, 2003
The Guardian

One of the most prestigious universities in America, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said yesterday that it had begun an inquiry into claims that its scientists had covered up evidence of critical problems with President Bush's proposed national missile defence system.
The outcome of the inquiry could be damaging to the administration, which has built its defence strategy around the $238bn missile defence scheme, using rockets to knock incoming missiles out of the sky, and is trying to persuade the Blair government to allow interceptor rockets to be based in Britain."

Well I suppose it's back to good old bows and arrows...

ppman

 

[Kuntmode]

n/a

The whole idea of Star Wars was fucking flawed to begin with.

Just someone forgot to tell Bush.

More chance of hitting a missle with an arrow than the elaborate system it appears scientists in the US want to build.

It's a good PR exercise in making Americans feel safe from an attack by terrorists and WMD in the future.

However, the only country's capable of firing missles directly at the US are their allies, but there is a new report being floated about that the people on Saturn, Mars and Pluto are in contact with the government's in Iran, Iraq and North Korea and seeking weapons to launch a pre-emptive strike on the US if they don't pay their space toll which has blown out to a debt of over $55 billion dollars.

Yes! Maybe one day Bush will come down from the clouds and realise he is a stupid fucking clown.

 

[RhumbRunner13]

Re: n/a

The whole idea of Star Wars was fucking flawed to begin with.

Just someone forgot to tell Bush.

More chance of hitting a missle with an arrow than the elaborate system it appears scientists in the US want to build.

It's a good PR exercise in making Americans feel safe from an attack by terrorists and WMD in the future.

However, the only country's capable of firing missles directly at the US are their allies, but there is a new report being floated about that the people on Saturn, Mars and Pluto are in contact with the government's in Iran, Iraq and North Korea and seeking weapons to launch a pre-emptive strike on the US if they don't pay their space toll which has blown out to a debt of over $55 billion dollars.

Yes! Maybe one day Bush will come down from the clouds and realise he is a stupid fucking clown.

Yeah...and Man will never walk on the Moon either, let's quit wasting money on these "pie in the sky" ideas. What benifit will ever come from any kind of "space research"?

Oh, by the way, man will never fly faster than the speed of sound either...it's a solid brick wall!

Rhumb

 

[LovetoGiveRoses]

Many real physical tests have been successfully run. If there's dissention about effectivity, it's being addressed. The man running the tests is named Kadish and he's VERY capable and earnest.

 

[bored1]

The ground work was laid down 20 years ago by Reagan, The technology has continued to improve and will continue to improve. Laugh all you want, at some point it will be perfected. It will be money well spent.

 

[West Mass Man]

Fine...

I am not about to say we shouldn't attempt what once seemed impossible (e.g., walking on the moon), but I think it would help the adminstration's case if they were honest about the challenges here. For instance, it might be more credible if, when their developmental system failed a major test (e.g., not being able to detect a missile from a bunch of "dummies") they didn't make the test easier (remove the dummies). Also, they could do a better job of explaining why, in a post-cold war era when our greatest national defense challenges seem to come from terrorist organizations rather than powerful nations, a missile defense shield should be such a significant priority.

 

[RhumbRunner13]

Re: Fine...

I am not about to say we shouldn't attempt what once seemed impossible (e.g., walking on the moon), but I think it would help the adminstration's case if they were honest about the challenges here. For instance, it might be more credible if, when their developmental system failed a major test (e.g., not being able to detect a missile from a bunch of "dummies") they didn't make the test easier (remove the dummies). Also, they could do a better job of explaining why, in a post-cold war era when our greatest national defense challenges seem to come from terrorist organizations rather than powerful nations, a missile defense shield should be such a significant priority.

So North Korea doen't exist? They already have delivery systems capable of hitting Alaska and are working to extend the range. What does China have? What will Iran have in ten years? Will India and Pakistan always be enemies to each other and relative friends to the US? Might a future strong ally wish to share the technology to protect themselves from an aggressor like, maybe, China?

I agree that a strong offense is the best defense...but there is nothing wrong with having a balanced defense as well.

Rhumb

 

[modest mouse]

Its not much of a cover-up. Its good common sense. Why would a country reveal all the flaws in a defense system they are working on? We all know the system doesnt work yet. I'm not much for it myself but truth be told I don't want everyone in the world to know all its flaws at this point.

If you look hard enough, everything can be a conspiracy. Use some common sense.

 

[RawHumor]

If you look hard enough, everything can be a conspiracy.

One has never summarized PP_Man's existence quite so well.

Congratulations, MM.

 

[West Mass Man]

Given where the technology is, it is naive to think that a missile defense shield is going to help us over the next decade or, that if and when it is perfected, a nation that really wanted to attack us wouldn't find other means of doing it. It is also worth thinking about the consquences of us developing this system could have on our potential enemies (causing them to formulate other means to attack us).

I am not saying this is not something that would be worth having. I am just saying that it is hardly going to be able to protect us against all significant threats -- especially since it is more likely that we would face a biological/chemical weapons attack than a nuclear attack.

 

[p_p_man]

Its not much of a cover-up. Its good common sense.
If you look hard enough, everything can be a conspiracy. Use some common sense.

So why is MIT holding an enquiry into the possibility of a cover up?

Use some common sense...



ppman

 

[HeavyStick]

Patriot Missile System.

Use little missiles to take out little missiles.

CNN coverage in Israel(Gulf War) was pretty convincing of the technology.

How is it impractical on a nation the size of the US? It worked in Israel.

The numbers/data may be flawed. The concept isn't.

 

[miles]

fascinating