That is the kind of assumption that made the old ditty about "assume makes
an 'ass' out of 'you and me'" accurate. That these folks have an *opinion*
about such topics well outside their respective areas of expertise is
understandable--that some folks place undue confidence in such opinions
merely because of who they are is not.

Brooks

well firstly we dont know what their areas of expertise are
but from my point of view, their expressed opinion is merely common sense

why spend money on a system which is at best technically difficult to
achieve at all, with any degree of reliability. And, more to the point of
this discussion, barely relevant to Australias Defence needs. Money would be
better spend going elsewhere.

September 11 showed that if/when an attack comes from a rogue state, I
seriously doubt it will come by way of a ballistic missile. Probably more by
way of a shipping container or small boat - or some other way yet imagined,
against which, NMD is going to just be nothing more than an expensive
paperweight.

On a seperate and different note, and at the risk of being called an anti
semite, israel and its supporters have a dirty little habit of using this
same sort of excuse, by attacking anyone who critisizes their policies as
being "unqualified" or "lacking the qualifications" to effect a critizism.

as if lacking a qualification automatically makes ones opinions incorrect,
regardless of the fact that they may be right ....
I'd wonder what the voting system would look like if votes were counted in
such a way, and how many people could be eligible to vote and those that
couldnt ...

Historys littered with people like that
Italian Philosopher Bruno for example - burnt at the stake - had NO
qualifications.