I ask this question to the many of you that are more knowledgeable about war and those that are computer pros. I hope Mr. Yourdon will include his opinions.

Let me say that I am very sorry for the Albanians. I have read and watched about their plight for months. They are no different then you or me. If things go badly with Y2k and we have a North 10, I would say many will be in the same position in the next years as the Albanians are facing today. Albanians are facing TEOTWAWKI now.

But there are many countries that are also experiencing wars and conflicts. And it has been going on for years, sometimes 100's of years. We do not jump in and help those people. Or is it a matter of the Albaians were having their conflict at the right time. If it was not Albanians and Serbs, would we be helping some other country? Clinton just needed a war (diversion) for the public to focus on ( and talk to death)

Could it be possible that Y2k is going to be so bad that Clinton wants to direct the attention of the people to something other then Y2k? Could it be he is buying time with whatever means possible> Is is possible he is hoping for a silver bullet or giving the government more time to be prepared for the outcome of Y2k? Does our government realize the seriousness of the situation more then we are giving them credit for and taking steps to implement plans for dealing with Y2k on massive basis.

Was public awareness beginning to grow at a speed which might have induced bank runs, possible food shortages, and shortages of necessaties? Was media attention swaying from the the "bump in the road" mentality to a more serious look into Y2k? Did the Governemnt need to get a grip on controlling the Y2k situation before it got out of hand and, hence, a war diversion?

Or should we be helping in this fight because it is the right thing to do?

One of my opinions is this. Every retired miliatry leader that gets on tv and spouts their opinion, every newscaster that salivates over the war story, every congressman that beleives we should be entering this conflict, the press sec., Oliver North, Hockenberry, Marcia Clark and Geraldo, should have to follow our fearless President CLinton into battle should ground troops be sent in to fight. To me, this is the FAIR thing to do.

This is Linda Arnold spouting off and disgusted with the whole mess.

-- Linda A. (adahi@muhlon.com), March 28, 1999

Answers

Wagging the dog? Perhaps. Over y2k? Don't think that's likely. But notice how seldom media pundits have uttered the words "Chinese spy scandal" since the bombing started.

-- (li'ldog@ontheporch.com), March 28, 1999.

On a lighter note about dark matters, this on csy2k:

thread = y2k triggered nuclear disasters must be avoided

<< Can anyone ever achieve 100% y2k compliance regarding warfare systems?

Accidents and human error can cause devastation. Warfare knaves cannot be trusted with the future of civilization on this planet.

"The following is the transcript of an actual radio conversation of a US naval ship with Canadian authorities off the Eastern Canadian coast, released by the US Chief of Naval Operations after public requests. It is a timely reminder of the arrogance (and stupidity) of US imperialism.

Americans: Please divert your course 15 degrees to the North to avoid a collision.

Canadians: Recommend you divert your course 15 degrees to the South to avoid a collision.

Americans: This is the Captain of a US navy ship. I say again, divert your course.

Canadians: No, I say again, you divert your case.

Americans: This is the Aircraft Carrier USS Lincoln, the second larget ship in the United States Atlantic Fleet. We are accompanied by three Destroyers, three Cruisers, and numerous support vessels. I demand that you change your course 15 degrees North, that's one five degrees North, or counter measures will be undertaken to ensure the safety of this ship.

Canadians: We are a lighthouse. Your call!"

http://linux.lhr-com.net/~solv2000

Tanvir Ali >>

===============================================================

Whew! The men & machinery doing 'just fine' in normal times; just wait until they have to *think* because of Y2K snafus. Prepare for idiotic disasters.

xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xx

-- Leska (allaha@earthlink.net), March 28, 1999.

I have no idea if Clinton is wagging the dog re: y2k. Unlikely, though. Is he wagging the dog re: y2k, Mz. Juanita Broderick, the Los Alamos security leaks, the lack of success in assuring Iraqi ceasefire compliance, and his disintegrating marriage? Perhaps. I wouldn't put it past him. I doubt he would ever even admit it to himself on a conscious level, at any rate. Crafty little ploys are probably second nature to our President, and I'm so sure he's developed all the psychological defense mechanisms to avoid ever having to use, develop, or sense his conscience.

Linda, I'm with you in your sentiments. I have tons of sympathy for the Albanians. While it is probably true that our spinmeisters are hard at work trying to demonize (ie., all those Milosevic = Hitler comparisions) the Serbian leadership, it's also likely that there REALLY are grisly and terrible atrocities being done, the vast burden falling on the Serbian partisans.

What our leaders fail to consider is that there are limits to American power. There are limits to military power, in general. If you have a gopher hole and a big club, you can try to bonk the gopher on the head, but that tricky little critter will already be popping his nose out of another hole ten feet away by the time your club hits the ground. Yugoslavia's like that. Only an arrogant fool or a sadist would spend his entire day out there with the club and the gopher.

But let's get back to reality. It really amazes me how shortsighted our press, our President, our allies, and the majority of our people seem to be. It's as if this war is some kind of movie and the human beings there are some kind of toy. If the United States is ever in an hour of need, I shudder to think of how little mercy we'll receive from the world--from those "allies" and "friends" like the Saudis and the French. I may not know much, but I do know that greed and pride have a way of coming back to haunt and punish you.

But let's get back to war as Wag the Dog. We Americans are now continously at war. Our ability to be amazed, titilated, shocked, and bewildered by scenes of carnage wanes. The mind develops a tolerance to experiences. With war now "ho-hum, big deal," I'll bet that we'll need bigger and bigger diversions in order to successfully carry out "Wag the Dog." If Wag the Dog is real, and who knows, IT MIGHT BE, WHAT THE HECK IS GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT!!??

-- coprolith (coprolith@rocketship.com), March 28, 1999.

WHAT Y2K ATTENTION??????

I listen to talk radio watch the news every day and subscribe to two naional newspapers.... there is no Y2K attention! God, paranoia rears it's ugly head again. Next thing you Y2K cult freaks are going to say is that Kosovo is just another way for Clinton to divert attention from space aliens that are planting worldwide computer bugs.

-- (no e-mail @ddress . com), March 28, 1999.

I listen to talk radio watch the news every day and subscribe to two naional newspapers.... there is no Y2K attention!

OK -- sounds like like we're not going to have Y2K panic then. Could it be though governments want to take care of any lingering problems while the chips in their weapons are still working?

-- (mail@ddress.dot), March 28, 1999.

Coprolith,

" If the United States is ever in an hour of need, I shudder to think of how little mercy we'll receive from the world--from those "allies" and "friends" like the Saudis and the French."

Me too.

-- Deborah (infowars@yahoo.com), March 28, 1999.

NO! The Kosovo excursion is "Wag the Dog" all over again to divert your attention from CHINAGATE, primarily, and Russian and North Korean military buildups (introduction of new aircraft and missiles.)

You have heard of Chinagate, haven't you?

-- A (A@AisA.com), March 28, 1999.

A,

I suppose the entire Senate is also trying to hide their involvement in this so-called "Chinagate" story fabricated by Clinton's opponents:

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The U.S. Senate voted Tuesday evening 58-41 in favor of a resolution supporting U.S. participation in NATO military operations in Kosovo, just hours after Secretary-General Javier Solana gave the go-ahead for air raids in Yugoslavia.

You know, I think I am actually looking forward to having a Republican in office so I won't have to listen to this paranoid right-wing rhetoric any more. Though I'm sure Rush Limbaugh will always manage to get them worked up about something.

-- @ (@@@.@), March 28, 1999.

I think they want you to talk about y2k, china, kosova, iraq, any thing but this

http://www.lol.shareworld.com/zmag/articles/crosscurrents.htm

sorry don't know how to do links.

-- R. Wright (blaklodg@aol.com), March 29, 1999.

@: Don't get your hopes up, Limbaugh will always have something to say about anything under any circumstances.

-- A (A@AisA.com), March 29, 1999.

A,

"@: Don't get your hopes up, Limbaugh will always have something to say about anything under any circumstances."

Isn't that what I said meathead?? -

"Though I'm sure Rush Limbaugh will always manage to get them worked up about something."

Rush Limbaugh will never keep his fat-ass mouth shut and morons like you will never stop believing all the crap that flows from it.

-- @ (@@@.@), March 29, 1999.