[FourPeas]

a decision which in the long light of hindsight I believe will come to be regarded as one of the most significant, yet strategically bankrupt, decisions in human history

As can the election of Pres Obama.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

I guess I am not far sightened because it gets harder and harder for me to see the benefit of the space staion. The Hubbell telescope at least furthers our knowledge of space and physics. What are we learning from the space station? The biggest benefits I see so far are to Russia who has benefited from our technology.

I am sure we have benefitted from other technologies to be used in real life but at what price? Would they have otherwise not been discovered or invented?