From: Extropian Agro Forestry Ventures Inc. (megao@sk.sympatico.ca)
Date: Sun Jan 26 2003 - 17:36:00 MST
Speaking from Canada we see a lot of value to having at least one military power
able to keep peace in the world. When Russia was a power and their were 2
superpowers, too many military resources were put towards MAD (mutually assured
destruction).
The greatest spin-off from the military is technology. The key is to keep the
resources allocated to military funded technology focused to development and testing
with the commercialization phase done in the private sector.
EX-GPS. The civilian system now uses military developed technology. I suspect
that a completely private venture capital R&D and deployment, debugging program
would never have had enough cash flow to become reality.
Similarly, now the mobile intenet, intelligent attack systems, specialized light
weight, electric powered
vehicle funding list (95 billionUSD) will lead to civilian commercialization
opportunities.
The war part and the long cold-war stockpiling of weapons part are stupid wastes of
valuable resources, however.
There is no need for Europe to try to copy the USA in a military sense. Someone has
to be the brains that keeps the brawn from blowing itself and everyone else to
kingdom come.
The USA embodies some of the best and worst of humanity. The key is balancing each
and focusing towards useful goals.
Japan , Canada and Europe have been able to create better average standards of
living for their citizens than the USA. That has been the peace dividend. The USA
has a disproportionately higher empoverished class than the EU, Canada or Japan.
Socialism may squander resources on social programs but infant mortality in Canada
is 7/10,000 VS Iraq @ 210/10,000.
EX-The new intelligence systems being developed for military use will eventually
make the delivery of healthcare management more efficient.
To conclude, we in Canada will not be displacing social development resources to
fuel world military
games except when there is a proven real danger to the future of civilization and
not just somebody out on a chest thumping expedition.
For this attitude, we too get the USA pissed off at us occaisionally. The aide to
our Prime Minister called Bush a moron. I'm sure they think we do some idiotic
things too. Life goes on.
..MJ
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