jhagen@npri6.uucp (Jarom Hagen) (02/19/91)
David Gast writes that: 1. I imply everything is black and white in military work. 2. Smart bombs kill people just like dumb ones. 3. I am not using logic because I don't discuss sanctions and the amount of money spent by the government on the military. 4. I am unable to create a Patriot missle system myself and that it kills people. 5. We use offensive weapons is the wars we fight. 6. Finally, he wounders how many people of died due to my projects. First, you either work for the military-industrial complex or you don't. The question was how anyone can justify working on military type projects. Second, of course there is not a guarantee that civilians won't be hurt by "smart" bombs. The point is that civilians are in less danger with a "smart" bomb than with a "dumb" bomb. You could do even better by personally going into the target site, setting an explosive, warning everyone nearby about it and then detonating the bomb. (You may find it hard to get cooperation on this :-)) Third, my logic is directed at the question of how one could justify working for the military only. Forth, I am merely pointing out reasons one could work on a military project, not my ability to make missiles. I didn't say the Patriot was the defensive weapon to end all defensive weapons, just that it is not designed to be used as an offensive weapon. Using the reasoning that you could not justify working on a Patriot missle system because it *may* kill someone, you could not justify working for an automobile manufacturer since automobiles have killed people. My point is that the Patriot system has been designed to protect people. Maybe it is not perfect, but it is something people can be proud of making. Fifth, you know some believe that the best defense is a good offense. Anyway, most weapons are used to defend as well as offend. ;-) Sixth, no one that I know of has been killed by a project I worked on. But I know of some of the projects I worked on that have been killed by people. :-) Jarom