Someone seriously needs to get Mr. Levin a subscription to Popular Science for Christmas this year.
You know what I'd like to see for a change? House and Senate committee chairs getting grilled by the experts on C-Span, the way they get to badger Presidential appointees.
Gen. Peter Pace: "Dude, do you even know which end of a rifle the bullet comes out of?"
Ben Bernanke: "Dude, do you even know the difference between amortization and depreciation?"
Levin also has a terrible comb over...that enough should make him a hack.
No. Leverage against Iran and North Korea would consist of a credible military threat against regimes that try to develop nukes. Thanks to the quagmire in Iraq, that credible threat is gone... unless we intend to invade the remaining legs of the "Axis of Evil" with G.I. Joe figures.
The administration has asked for $100 billion THIS YEAR the Iraq war, while the North Koreans and Iranians merrily press on with their nuclear programs. But Carl Levin is the hack of the week. Makes perfect sense to me.
Star Wars would not have stopped the attacks of Sept. 11th; it will not prevent an attack on our ports, our water systems, or any other terrorist attack. We still have enough nuclear power for MAD to be a reality, so other nations would be foolish to attack unless they wanted their country to be a nuclear parking lot for the next millenium or so.
So what, then, is the purpose of Star Wars? It gives us credible, unlimited, offensive power. MAD is no longer in place if we can stop attacks on us; therefore, it allows the United States to grow stronger without limit relative to other nations, further irritating terrorist who cannot be stopped by Star Wars.
All adds up to a self-defeating waste of money to me (kind of like our recent venture into Iraq - a Republican trend, perhaps?)
The Left talking about "credible military threats" to Iran and NK? Pshaw. That'd be a laugher even without the current Iraq mess. And, just imagine if the US actually followed through with one of those "credible threats." The Left would be screaming as loudly as they did about Iraq.
Mike: Missile defense was no real deterrent during the Cold War since the Russians could easily overwhelm it. They (and the Chinese) still can. But it would be a good defense against the emerging rogue nations that will inevitably acquire nukes (like Iran and NK).
Star Wars would not have stopped the attacks of Sept. 11th; it will not prevent an attack on our ports, our water systems, or any other terrorist attack.
I'm not saying we have to sacrifice one for the other. I'd gladly give up Medicare Part D for this...
We still have enough nuclear power for MAD to be a reality, so other nations would be foolish to attack unless they wanted their country to be a nuclear parking lot for the next millenium or so
I have my doubts that MAD would be much of a deterrent against suicidal mullahs.
"I have my doubts that MAD would be much of a deterrent against suicidal mullahs."
--So how do you figure Star Wars would help against these types? Where there's an irrational, suicidal will, there's a way. I just think that there are better ways to spend the money it would take to develop the star wars program. It is not really practical with the current threats that we realistically face.
Why not eliminate as many threats as possible?
And Star Wars isn't retribution, it is about stopping missiles headed towards us. And a nuclear ICBM strike on the US is something worth preventing. The potential casualties prevented by Star Wars are well worth the cost.
Whoa, someone who would call David Cameron a hero for anything. This day should go down in history.
Cameron is no John Howard or Stephen Harper. I still am confused why the UK Tories are revered by anyone when they are in disarray and are the most socially inept group of pepole imaginable while the others are such better examples of party and national leaders, and their respective parties- the Liberals in Australia and Conservatives in Canada- are so much more rational. Cameron will never be PM, and that's probably for the best. He's right on one thing. That doesn't count for a heck of a lot.
"Why not eliminate as many threats as possible?"
I agree, but why not work on the most immediate and realistic threats first. Once we master port, border, and internal security we can then focus on the less likely threat of an ICBM if we still have the resources available. I just think its an issue of priority, and right now, we need to get other things straightened out because we still do have MAD deterance threat (as horrible of a possibility as that is).
Whoa, someone who would call David Cameron a hero for anything. This day should go down in history.
Anon, I'm still as surprised as you are. Cameron getting something correct is akin to when Bush discovered he could veto a bill.
the Liberals in Australia and Conservatives in Canada
Oh yeah, Howard and Harper are like the dynamic duo of the anglosphere!
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I agree, but why not work on the most immediate and realistic threats first.
Iran and North Korea?
MAD deterance threat
See my 12.02.06 - 1:06 pm comment above.
I agree Iran and North Korea were were and are the most immediate threats (they were when we invaded Iraq, too, but Republicans were ok with that). However, the threat from them does not come from an ICBM but from the risk of sales to terrorist who will smuggle the weapons into the country through our ports or across our borders. I'm not saying Star Wars shouldn't be on our national "wish list," but we must prioritize and port and border security need to come first.
I don't think we have to sacrifice port or border security to get either, but it doesn't seem like the Democrats are pushing any of the three, just advocating for no missile defense.
Right now we don't have the money to pay for any of it because we have so much tied up in the quagmire in Iraq. Getting that mess straight is step and priority one, though our border and port security, I would argue, should perhaps even be higher than that.
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