RE: Landmines RE: US Foreign Policy Re: *DO* we share a civilization?

[Baardwijk, J. van DTO/SLBD/BGM/SVM/SGM]

> -----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
> Van: Dan Minette [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> Verzonden: Thursday, August 16, 2001 9:15 PM
> Aan: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Onderwerp: Re: Landmines RE: US Foreign Policy Re: *DO* we share a
> civilization?

> > Given the number of years mr. Rossiter has devoted to this subject, I
> > think we can safely assume that he has acquired sufficient knowledge
> > to properly judge the situation.
> 
> What subject did he devote years to?  Did he devote it to the study of
> war or to documenting the civilian casualties of land mines?  Did he
> devote his time to documenting the random ways that many combatants use 
> land mines, or studying the techniques of warfare?  How familiar is he
> with the pluses and minus of the various armaments?

He has spent years, campaigning against landmines. First, it doesn't make
sense to campaign against something you don't understand. Second, from his
resume he appears to be quite intelligent and capable of studying. Third,
one will learn quite a lot when pursuing something for years. Given all
this, it is entirely reasonable to assume that mr. Rossiter knows quite well
what he's talking about.


> Compare that to Gautam's sources,  including two colonels who had been
> to Korea to be briefed on the subject who convinced him to change his
> mind on mines.  It is probable that they have access to data that he
> doesn't.

It's also probable that the Lt.General in charge had access to that data.
Yet, Gautam apparently believes that those Colonels were capable of properly
interpreting the data, while at the same time believing that since a
Lt.General doesn't agree with him, said Lt.General is not capable of
properly interpreting that same data.


> > I think that all those years certainly qualify as "studying and
> > working in the area" -- even if he has never been close to a
> > minefield.
> >
> 
> Well, I've seen utter nonsense put out by people "studying and working
> in an area" without any formal training or responsibilities in an area.  

And that is supposed to prove that *everyone* who has been "studying an
working in an area without any formal training" only utters nonsense?


Jeroen

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