May 27, 2006
A NATION OF DAVIDS (via Tom Morin):
Missile defense system makes history: A Pearl Harbor ship intercepts a test missile at the end of the target's flight, a first (Gregg K. Kakesako, 5/25/06, starbulletin.com)
The Pearl Harbor-based Aegis cruiser USS Lake Erie successfully intercepted a target test missile in the last few seconds of its flight for the first time yesterday.In previous tests the Lake Erie successfully intercepted target missiles as soon as they were launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility at Barking Sands on Kauai or in the middle of their flights, the Navy said.
Target missiles had been intercepted in their final stage only by ground-based interceptors before yesterday.
The interceptor is part of the Missile Defense Agency's multibillion-dollar program to protect the United States and its allies from an enemy missile attack.
While the philistines hide in caves. Posted by Orrin Judd at May 27, 2006 9:07 AM
So then, Reagan was right. Nice!
Posted by: erp at May 27, 2006 10:53 AMWas the sling really a modern technology on the day David slew Goliath?
Goliath was equipped with armor and I believe a new type of blade.
Wouldn't that have made the Philistines more technologically advanced?
Of course, I agree that killing at a distance is the way to go if you can.
Posted by: Pepys at May 27, 2006 1:16 PMNo, Pepys, that made the Philistines the top of the old tech chain. David had the new tech chain.
Posted by: Robert Mitchell Jr. at May 27, 2006 2:05 PMEven seen Raiders of the Lost Ark? The big Arab had a really sharp scimitar.
Posted by: oj at May 27, 2006 3:49 PMProbably more effective against a single incoming than a swarm. Swarm is the current and future state-of-the-art. Expensive, though.
Posted by: ghostcat at May 27, 2006 5:22 PMI missed the part about early intercept. That's encouraging, but I wonder if the launch point of the incoming must be known in advance.
Posted by: ghostcat at May 27, 2006 5:24 PMAh, but Ghostcat, to be state of the art, you have to play the game like we do. If you pull that off, you won't attack us. Heads we win, tails you lose...
Posted by: Robert Mitchell Jr. at May 27, 2006 5:46 PMRight, or you literally go broke trying to reach that technological brass ring.
Posted by: ghostcat at May 27, 2006 5:58 PMThe beauty of it is they go broke trying to keep up with us. Our treasury is virtually limitless.
Posted by: erp at May 27, 2006 6:52 PMYes. Unless the technology is expensive to develop (us), but easy to replicate (them).
Posted by: ghostcat at May 27, 2006 7:08 PMIt doesn't matter if the tech is easy to replicate, if you don't understand how to use it. What happened to the French aircraft carrier?
Posted by: Robert Mitchell Jr. at May 27, 2006 7:28 PMRemember Kahn. Wrath or no.
Posted by: ghostcat at May 27, 2006 7:30 PMWhat about Kahn? the only people with the skill to us atomics in war is... us!
Posted by: Robert Mitchell Jr. at May 27, 2006 7:32 PMI did type "Kahn", didn't I. Must be thinking of Young Fronk-en-shteen again.
Khan. As in asymmetric warfare. They don't have to match us to hurt us real bad. And they have much more patience.
Posted by: ghostcat at May 27, 2006 7:45 PMThey do have to match us to hurt us real bad. Asymmetrical warfare? They had an edge for what? three hours? Patience isn't very helpful againest a free people, people who don't wait for orders.
Posted by: Robert Mitchell Jr. at May 27, 2006 7:49 PMNo, they don't. If they were patient they'd win.
Posted by: oj at May 27, 2006 7:51 PMToo many "theys", mine included.
Bin Laden definitely had a case of premature extrapolation and effectively blew Khan's cover. But Khan's network had been doing very well indeed. May still may be in operation in some form.
The Islamists are far more patient than the American people ... and most of our leaders.
Posted by: ghostcat at May 27, 2006 8:29 PMIf they were they wouldn't have attacked the West, the "far enemy". They'd attack within the Islamic world, the "near enemy."
Posted by: oj at May 27, 2006 8:33 PMAgreed. Bin Laden is/was a clever fool. Torpedoed the long war strategy.
Posted by: ghostcat at May 27, 2006 8:36 PMToo impatient.
Posted by: oj at May 27, 2006 8:42 PMDavid was on God's side--the only 'new' thing under the sun.
Posted by: Noel at May 27, 2006 10:47 PMGhost: 9/11 was painful, barbaric, grotesque and unacceptable. It was a causus belli. It was not existential.
Posted by: David Cohen at May 29, 2006 12:19 AM