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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 21, 2003)
8 Tuesday, January 21, 2003 SCI|TEC| THE BAT TALK! Wtol scoveEBtisearch i i H*. You may qualify for a clinical research study if you have any of the following conditions: AT RISK FOR DIABETES? • Glucose Intolerance? • Anyone, 50 or older, could qualify for testing to determine their risk of developing diabetes • Up to $450 paid for time and travel. IS co verySe.? FACIAL ACNE • Male and Female 12 years of age and older > • Have mild to moderate facial acne • Reimbursement for time and travel. MUSCLE PAIN <0^'* <5* • Muscle pain with spasm (involuntary contraction) • Must be 18 to 75 years of age • Up to $100 paid for time and travel. (979) 776-1417, or toll free (888) 438-9586 Medical assessments, study-related diagnostic tests, and investigational medication are provided to qualified participants at no charge. II vCnaaa/1 i YouVe Invited EVERYONE LibFEST 2003 Wednesday, January 22 nd 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. 1 st Floor Evans Library Common Area & Whitley Suite Meet Reveille and Grab Your Camera 10:30-11:30 ® Learn more about our services @ Meet the Dean and staff 9 Enjoy snacks and drinks O Win door prizes A C A * t> "e- W Y College Dance Classes Int - Actv. Jazz & Hip Hop Beg. - Int. Jazz, Hip Hop & Ballet Aggie Dance Team Try-Out Prep Classes Now Enrolling BOO-1 813 Jennifer Hart Director of the Texas A & M Aggie Dance Team Missile defense to be a realit) US developing system to eliminate nuclear threati By Jonathan Daugbjerg THE BATTALION With North Korea now defiantly restarting its nuclear program, the Bush Administration is reaffirming its position that National Missile Defense is not only necessary, but should be the highest priority. In December 2001, President George W. Bush announced the United States withdraw al from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, which removed limitations on the develop ment and implementation of a missile defense shield. The administration stated the treaty was outdated and the withdrawal was neces sary to allow the United States to deploy a limited missile shield to defend against an attack from “rogue nations” such as North Korea, Iran and Iraq. North Korea is currently testing its Taepo- Dong II missile, which U.S. intelligence believes will have the capability of delivering a nuclear payload to Alaska, Hawaii, or the Western Continental United States. The move to deploy a missile shield has drawn much controversy and several scientific organiza tions, world governments, and even the Pentagon are debating the feasibility of such defenses. According to the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, there are three different areas of research for ballistic missile defense. The Boost Defense segment involves research in destroying missiles during their initial launch phase. Midcourse Segment research targets missiles in mid-flight, and the Terminal Defense segment focuses on developing sys tems to intercept missiles during the final plunge toward their targets. The limited mis sile shield proposed by the Bush Administration focuses primarily on mid course and terminal missile interception methods. Midcourse missile interception will utilize a ground-based interceptor weapon consisting of an exoatmospheric kill vehicle (EKV) launched by a fixed, land-based booster rock et. In the event of an enemy nuclear missile launch, the booster rocket would launch its EKV payload, which would track the incom ing missile using sophisticated ground-based sensors and its own long-range infrared sen sor. The on-board sensor would have the task of discriminating between potential decoys and the intended target and then maneuvering the kill vehicle using small rockets to demol ish both objects in a high-speed collision. According to the Missile Defense Agency, the Navy has successfully tested a sea-based mid course system that utilizes existing Aegis cruisers and destroyers equipped with missile defense computers and equipment. The Missile Defense Agency said in a release that the continued development of the Aegis sys tem, ground-based systems, and planned mis sile tracking satellite systems will provide a complete midcourse layer of defense. The Terminal Defense Segment focuses on the destruction of missiles in their final stage of flight. These systems are designed to pro tect U.S. and Allied forces and population centers from short and medium range missile attack. Terminal Defense includes the upgrade of several developing and exist ing missile systems, including Theater High Altitude Area Defense, the joint U.S.-Israeli Arrow system, and the Patriot PAC-3, which is an improved version of the intercep tor missile system deployed dur ing the 1991 Persian Gulf War. According to the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, the THADD system is scheduled for flight testing begin ning in 2004, and train- ^ ing battalions will test the Patriot PAC-3 this year. Israel declared the Arrow system opera tional in October 2000, and is touting their con fidence in its capabili ties should Iraq decide to strike again in any renewed Gulf conflict. The National Missile Defense system has not been without critics. The primary issue with missile defense is its less-than- perfect success rate. According to the Center for Defense Information, the EKV missed the target or failed to separate from its booster three out of eight times since in:! ception testing of the latest kill vehicle des J began in October 1999. Many of the test'.jg ures have been blamed on quality coitl issues during kill vehicle manufacturing or j use of old Minuteman intercontinental bali tic missiles as temporary boosters until n« delivery systems are tested. Continued testing of the missile defer system also carries a larger price tag. I Bush Administration has stated it will ask more than $8 Billion for research and dev opment for this year and the overall price: may now well exceed $1(X) billion. Some at the Pentagon refer to the p- i ect as the”thing that ate the defense bii: J et.” and would like to see funding di\a ed from missile defense to conventios forces. These issues led 50 Nobel Pr: Laureates from the Federatior I American Scientists to sene I letter to Congress in whichth* p said. “Previous attempts a:I national missile defense hui * collapsed as it became evkq that performance was ma lower and cost much higherll| advertised. We see no evidesl that systems currently being p.I forward will meet or men!I different fate.” Aegis Balistic Missile Defense Will destroy short to medium range ballistic mis- | siles Aegis fleets will work as support to ground-based missile systems Rubin DeLuna •THE BATWCi Theater High Altitude Area Defense System Platform: Landbased Range: Short and medium missiles • Only system designed to intercept , * targets inside and outside the atmosphere —~ PATRIOT Advanced Capability-3 Platform: Builds on previous PATRIOT technology Purpose: Protects against traditional missiles, aircraft, as well as Theater Ballistic Missiles h\\ Photos and Information Courtesy ofwvvw.ACQ.OSA.mil Digital media negotiations successful WASHINGTON (AP) — The leading trade associations for the music and technology industries, which have been at loggerheads over consumers downloading songs on the Internet, have negotiated a com promise they contend will pro tect copyrights on movies and music without new government involvement. Lobbyists for some of the nation’s largest technology com panies will argue under the new agreement against efforts in Congress to amend U.S. laws to broaden the rights of consumers, explicitly permitting viewers to make backup copies of DVDs for personal use or copy music onto handheld listening devices. These companies, including Microsoft Corp., IBM, Intel Corp. and Dell Computer Corp., also will announce support for aggressive enforcement of laws against all forms of digital media piracy. In exchange, the Recording Industry Association of America will argue against governmeri requirements to build lockinj controls into future generation 1 of entertainment devices l ( make it more difficult for cot sumers to share rnedii Technology companies havi complained about the controls saying that they are too expet sive and complex. Emerging EjR Leaders Retreat Looking for something Advanced aJr Leaders Retreat to do this spring? Attend the Emerging or Advanced Leaders Retreat, February 14 and 15, and develop the skills necessary for successful leadership! To apply for either retreat, or to receive additional information, visit http://studentactivities.tomu.edu and select “Seminars and Workshops,” or call the Department of Student Activities at 862-6721 read the fine print. THE CLASSIFIEDS CALL 845-0569 TO PLACE YOUR AD NATIOIN THE BA1 Ce Hii By Pc THE AS A1 Htrs ful, fluid ca essence o Charlie Chi died Mond; Hirschfi drawings p and contim tury, died ; wife, Louis He cla process wa: tery, even t “All I ) works. 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