Opinion:

After having worked on the first Star Wars initiative...

...I am in a reasonable position to discuss the second one, even after considering the secrecy by which I'm still bound, and I can safely say without breaking any confidential information that it will still not work, despite 15 years of development since then.

You cannot change the laws of Physics.

Despite what "political capital" you might have...

Canada, by refusing to participate, is not being obstructionist to anything other than the unrealistic visions of the Bush administration, and statements that "Canada has given up its sovereignty" by U.S. ambassador Paul Cellucci are unhelpful at best, and by any rational analysis completely absurd and out of line.

By a supreme irony, the new cabinet in the Palestinian Authority is being remarked upon for NOT being chosen based upon loyalty, as was done by Arafat, the man whom the current US administration said they could not do business with because of his methods, but they were chosen instead based upon competence.

Need I point out the contrast and resultant irony explicitly? I hope not...

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Those of you who can't see past your jingoism to the technological and scientific reality of the situation, I would pity you, but you do not merit it because you are choosing to not see reality, and if you insist upon calling that a left-wing attitude, you are just proving your willful blindness.