Star Wars - Why is it so dangerous?

BillieTheBot

I was just reading through some old posts and realized that a few people were saying that the Star Wars program was dangerous. Please explain

Former Member

Basically the theory is that many countires now have sufficient nuclear weapons to wipe the other out, and that there is no defense against an attack. Therefore it is lunacy to attack another nation because you will, by return, see you own nation destroyed.

However, if one side has a defense mechanism, they can launch a pre-emptive strike (destroying the enemy) and then hide behind their defensive shield.

That's why it is considered a danger to world peace.

Former Member

That's why it is considered a danger to world peace

The Russians have been developing SCRAM jet technology for years now. If thats not a danger to world peace I dunno what is. Not that NMD can defend against SCRAMjet missiles.

MOK is correct..Russia and the States have long had an unofficial MAD agreement(Mutually Assured Destruction) to keep them out of direct conflict.

Im really not sure why Bush wants NMD to go ahead so much. The roque nations he wants to protect against are far more likely to send a nuke via FedEx than be able to afford an ICBM that can reach the states. Russia is far ahead of anyone else in the SCRAMjet technology.

I dont particularly see it as dangerous but rather pointless.

Former Member

I think, when Bush means rogue nations he is actually beginning to worry about "younger" countries (countries that have only recently developed delivery systems for nuclear weapons) such as India and China.
There was suggestions of Russia being included in the Star Wars project, which itself would be an enourmous gesture of good will. If that went ahead then I'm all for the Star Wars project.

Former Member

you are correct about the India and China thing. China not only has ICBMS but mobile systems capable of hitting the US's West Coast (can't go into detail, it's classified 'Secret, NO FOR' so we don't even share this info with your intel community

Former Member

Originally posted by BBH:
China not only has ICBMS but mobile systems capable of hitting the US's West Coast (can't go into detail, it's classified 'Secret, NO FOR' so we don't even share this info with your intel community

As long as your "intel community" realises that ours doesn't give a shit about China aiming missiles at America. As long as they don't aim them at us I dont think anyone here cares.

Former Member

I think part of the concern is also that if the USA has a defense against missiles etc, then other states will try and develop their own, basically leading to a new arms race.
Some people think that this could lead to a cold war and maybe even war, although I think that is a bit far-fetched.
I`m not for it because one of the radar stations will be stationed in the uk, so if someone wants to blow up the Americans, then we're directly in the firing line as they`ll have to take us out before they can strike the US.

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"Honesty is just an excuse for lack of imagination."

Former Member

Originally posted by Talyn:
I`m not for it because one of the radar stations will be stationed in the uk, so if someone wants to blow up the Americans, then we're directly in the firing line as they`ll have to take us out before they can strike the US.

I hope you aren't suggesting that the mighty US has to rely on little ol' sheepish, brainwashed subject ridden UK for it's defense. Surely you are mistaken <IMG alt="image" SRC="http://www.thesite.org/ubb/wink.gif"&gt;

Rogue nations like Iraq are more likely to hide such a bomb in a lorry rather than launch a missile - easier deniability. Fuck all a missile system costing several billion will do about that...

Former Member

One of the major objections to the NMD project is that deflected warheads / missiles (depending on intercept point) could likely fall on non-combatant or US-allied soil. In fact, some projections indicate that polar-trajectory missiles aimed at Washington / New York would, if deflected, land in Canada or the Western US.

Another objection, and more of a practical one, is that it's just not going to work. If I were Colonel Raghead with a nice shiny nuke I wanted to use against the USA, like hell would I use a missile to fire it. I'd just shove it on a cheap, disposable civvie freighter, crew it with a few die-hard soldiers prepared to die for the jihad, and sail it into New York harbour. Boom. Fat lot of good, NMD would do then.

Former Member

One of the major objections to the NMD project is that deflected warheads / missiles (depending on intercept point) could likely fall on non-combatant or US-allied soil. In fact, some projections indicate that polar-trajectory missiles aimed at Washington / New York would, if deflected, land in Canada or the Western US.

Another objection, and more of a practical one, is that it's just not going to work. If I were Colonel Raghead with a nice shiny nuke I wanted to use against the USA, like hell would I use a missile to fire it. I'd just shove it on a cheap, disposable civvie freighter, crew it with a few die-hard soldiers prepared to die for the jihad, and sail it into New York harbour. Boom. Fat lot of good NMD would do then.

Former Member

Watch Dr. Stranglove if you haven't recently. And think about MAD afterwards.

Former Member

Originally posted by Sean_K:
Watch Dr. Stranglove if you haven't recently. And think about MAD afterwards.

Oh, yeah! Great film! "How I learned to stop worrying and love the Bomb." <IMG alt="image" SRC="http://www.thesite.org/ubb/smile.gif"&gt;

Former Member

All I can say is that the US can detect nukes, so we would stop any ship trying to come in and nuke us that way would be destroyed.

As for 'deflected nukes' sorry but all you'd get is a little shrapenal. See when a nuke is destroyed and did not go off its self it just burns up and there is little to no radiation that is released.

Former Member

Originally posted by BBH:
All I can say is that the US can detect nukes,

How?

Former Member

I said all I can say, I can not say anything further on the matter, it is top secret information. It would cause extreme grave damage to the US if it got out

BTW your government can too

Former Member

Originally posted by Man Of Kent:

I hope you aren't suggesting that the mighty US has to rely on little ol' sheepish, brainwashed subject ridden UK for it's defense. Surely you are mistaken <IMG alt="image" SRC="http://www.thesite.org/ubb/wink.gif"&gt;

[/B]

They're just utilizing some of your real estate.

Former Member

It is possible, to a slight degree to detect nuclear weponry, due to anomalies in the casing itself causing radioactive material to seep out. However I doubt that a freighter with a nuke on it heading towards NYC would be stopped because Nukes were onboard, more likely because the coast guard would stop it in case of illegal immigrants or drugs offences.
And if "Johnny Raghead" can obtain a nuke, do you not think he could just as easily obtain a big lead container to keep it in??? Thus rendering the fancy detection equipment useless...>!

Former Member

MacKenZie, isn't that exactly what happened today? American's still caught up in the Cold War, is doesn't seem to grasp that it isn't a straight forward case of one super power against another. How does America expect to organise a huge national security system like Star Wars when they can't even stop someone hijacking a plane?

Anyway, is it really even National security? A other people are pointing out there's a reall chance of weapons being shot down above they're own country, just not the places where the rich/powerful people are. The whole thing sucks, if there is a nuclear attack Bush and co will be safe in bunkers while everyone else is skrewed. People criticise Bush for saying America comes first, the thing is it's not America as a country, just rich, white male America.

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"I'm not living, I'm just
killing time.