I wasn’t so much stating that *I* feel that way, just that if you were to encounter someone that did you’d should extend that courtesy to them.

And why should I extend any curtesy to anyone who thinks all Russian stuff is junk? I am not interested in American stuff, does that mean I think it is all junk? Where have I said that?

Essientially I was trying to point out the futility of trying to have a rational discussion with someone who is not objective and has no interest in being so.

So what you are basically saying is that you agree with me in this discussion that the comparison of ATBM systems with an AD is basically unsound and we both choose the same system as the best based on the criteria, but you can’t discuss this with me because I think objectivity is subjective… Amusing.

As for objectivity I’m about as objective as one can be.

But ones objectivity cannot assessed by anyone… especially yourself.

I can say I am completely objective, and anybody who says different is biased. I don’t know of anyone who is completely unbiased about anything… except about things they know and care nothing about. But you call that bias, so objectivity doesn’t exist.

You find all the info you can, try to filter out the bull****, build a picture, and attempt to fill in the blanks.

Which introduces bias.

Another thing I’m wondering is if you have no interest in systems other than Russian/Soviet and don’t read up on them what DO you base your opinion on, how do you expect anybody to believe you’re NOT biased, and how do you expect to have an intelligent discussion about something of which you know nothing about?

First of all even if I were completely unbiased there will always be some who claim I am biased anyway just for arguements sake because my conclusions don’t meet their expectations and knowledge of the things they like. Second I have managed to have a few intelligent conversations here and elsewhere on occasion… not a huge number, but a few.

And third, though answering your points in no particular order, I read of the performance of the Patriots with regard to the performance of Former Sovet Scud missiles… altered models though they were.

If you have ever read or watched on TV anything about Russian or Soviet systems you will know when the source is western they spend often as much time talking about comparable western systems or the western system the system in question was designed to defeat. In stark contrast to western source publications about western gear that can talk for hours on end not mentioning anything other than the product in question. I blame over inflated western marketing departments personally.