Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!bellcore!faline!ulysses!sfmag!sfsup!glg From: glg@sfsup.UUCP Newsgroups: comp.society.futures Subject: Re: UUCP to USSR Message-ID: <2344@sfsup.UUCP> Date: Wed, 11-Nov-87 19:17:48 EST Article-I.D.: sfsup.2344 Posted: Wed Nov 11 19:17:48 1987 Date-Received: Sat, 14-Nov-87 13:34:46 EST References: <8711101048.aa21018@note.nsf.gov> Reply-To: glg@/guest4/glgUUCP (xmpj20000-G.Gleason) Distribution: world Organization: AT&T Information Systems Lines: 27 In article <8711101048.aa21018@note.nsf.gov> fbaube@NOTE.NSF.GOV.UUCP writes: >Andrew Jennings writes: >> Have you ever connsidered in >> any detail how much damage it does to the American economy diverting all >> that money, talent etc. into defence when you could be putting it to work >In an article about international commercial competitiveness, >someone stated that the US military-industrial complex absorbs >the US' best minds. He then adds that on any given day of the >week, the US' first-stringers could doubtlessly beat any other country's It is amazing that the US has stayed as competetive as it has in spite of the talent drained to non-productive activities, although I don't think that all of the best minds, since many find defense work to be morally unjustified (how could the best minds produce so much ineffec- tiveness ;-). Resources are diverted at all levels for military purposes, and consequently the US is losing its premier status as an economic force. The militarists do not see that the military power they currently abuse comes directly from this economic power. It looks like Russia's leadership is beginning to see this connection, and take steps to facilitate greater economic development. If our leadership continues to take our economic position for granted, democracy will be over-run first economically, then politically. The only encouraging thing about this is that they may have to free their people in the process. Gerry Gleason