[extropy-chat] Borders vs. nukes

[Mike Lorrey]

--- "Eliezer S. Yudkowsky" <sentience at pobox.com> wrote:

> The argument would seem to be that, right now, someone can cart a
> nuke 
> into the US using the same low-tech, inexpensive techniques that get 
> illegal immigrants across the border.  Maybe and maybe not.  But
> still...
> 
> Nukes are not low-tech.  Nukes are not inexpensive.
> 
> Build a wall against low-tech crossings and at best it will keep out 
> those illegal immigrants who cannot afford higher tech.  It will not 
> keep out terrorists organized enough to acquire nukes.
> 
> The logic here appears to be:
> 
> 1)  Crossing America's border is cheap.
> 2)  Right now, someone who wants to cross the border with a nuke can
> do 
> so cheaply.
> 3)  Eliminate cheap ways of crossing the border - problem solved!
> 
> You know, right now, people just walk straight over the border.  So 
> let's put a piece of string across the border.  Then they can't walk 
> straight through because they'll run into the string.  Problem
> solved!

If the string can tell someone where the crossing happened, how many
crossed, and maybe even how much mass (and/or its density) they carried
with them, then the string is even better than building a wall.

Notice in the recent dust-up over completing the wall near san diego,
the primary group to speak up against it was a criminal gang of
mexicans with known contacts with al Qaeda, and it threatened attacks
in the US in response.

Mike Lorrey
Vice-Chair, 2nd District, Libertarian Party of NH
Founder, Constitution Park Foundation:
http://constitutionpark.blogspot.com
Personal/political blog: http://intlib.blogspot.com


		
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