Security State

Some readings for 3/1 meeting:

National Security and the Posture of Defense:

The Case of Missile Defense

To DS 494 people: I approach the subjects in this heading not as an expert but as a reader and learner. Last year I wrote up some thoughts about the ongoing U.S. Missile Defense program as a review of some current books and one CD and published it in a local mag: an updated electronic version is
"The Ultimate MacGuffin: Missile Defense Before and After 9/11." The Bookpress 13:3 (April 2003) < http://instruct1.cit.cornell.edu/~sad4/md/MacGuffin1.html>
There, I make a lot of claims about (in order of expanding scope) Missile Defense under Bush, its history in the last three decades, current U.S. defense policy, and the persistence of Cold War mentalities into the age of Empire. This piece needs a critical discussion, and I would like to see what questions it raises for you. If you have the patience to read it and to look at some of its sources, you can take positions or pose questions to the group at a forum on the Dev. Soc. 494 website:
http://courseinfo.cit.cornell.edu/courses/DV694-Faculty/
Below I list some recommended reading, with a few comments. I'll be reading the discussion board and looking forward to meeting with you on March 1.
Stuart

Bacevich, Andrew J. "Full Spectrum Dominance." ch. 5 of American Empire. Cambridge: Harvard Univ. Press, 2002. [worth revisiting]
[From] the U.S. Nuclear Posture Review (31 December 2002)
"National Security Strategy of the United States," sections III and V (September 2002)
Project for a New American Century, ed. Rebuilding America's Defenses (September 2000) (PDF 24K) [a little of this goes a long way]
Two reports published by the Western States Legal Foundation:
- "The Shape of Things to Come: The Nuclear Posture Review, Missile Defense, and the Dangers of a New Arms Race." WSLF Special Report (April 2002) < http://www.wslfweb.org/docs/missiles03.pdf >(PDF 24K)
- Andrew Lichterman, "Sliding Towards the Brink: More Useable Nuclear Weapons and the Dangerous Illusions of High-Tech War." WSLF Information Bulletin (March 2003) < http://www.wslfweb.org/docs/missiles03.pdf >(PDF 24K)
United States Space Command, Vision for 2020 (February 1997) < http://www.fas.org/spp/military/docops/usspac/visbook.pdf > (PDF big, but mostly pictures)

To Dev. Soc. 494 site • SD site • CUInfo

Some readings for 3/1 meeting:National Security and the Posture of Defense:

The Case of Missile Defense

Some readings for 3/1 meeting:

National Security and the Posture of Defense: