Anybody read up on this "Planet X" ??

Lustle said
Why do you think it hasn't happened yet?

Imagine a race that kills it's own without abandon. Over the smallest differences. Height. Skin tone. Eye colour. And even non-visible differences. Like basis of belief. Their culture. Etc. Things that can change in only a hundred years, or less! Look at the culture change in the USA in the last 50-60 years alone. A race that has been at war with itself for over 5000 years straight. That has industrialized even the killing of it's own people.

Now give that race a common enemy. A common thing to fight against. Especially one as so different as an alien race and culture (assuming they are that different). Not only would we rally against the physical differences. But also the cultural differences. Now imagine what we would be capable of?

Think any alien culture is dumb enough to open that door? As the story goes of what the japanese said after the bombed pearl harbour "I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve."

I almost bet that just outside the reach of our probes, our current ability to see or detect. Are beacons. All around our solar system, that loudly scream to any passing vessel. That our system is off limits. Not to be entered under any circumstance. Lest they "wake the sleeping giant".

These are interesting, and valid points. What you have to consider, however, is that any theoretical race that is technologically advanced enough to reach us from beyond the stars (point of fact, they will have come at least 4 light years, and most likely even farther) probably will be so advanced as to not even consider our current level of "modern warfare" to be anything more than a nuisance as they invade, regardless of whatever resolve we may be able to muster. Many people have also postulated that a race of beings who have traveled so long and so far to get here most likely would not have evil intentions, but would be benevolent and only want to help us. This is possible. Probable, even. But you also have to consider that, regardless of what we have done to it, our planet has an abundance of usable resources, from the water and air all they way to the oil and mineral deposits. We are sitting on a galactic mother lode here, and the only thing missing is the appropriate claim jumper to push us off our land and steal what is rightfully ours.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying I believe this will happen, or that I believe that it is even possible that this could happen. I'm just saying that, should we get attacked by beings who have the technological ability to travel through interstellar space and land on our planet, we may find ourselves on the **** end of the stick.

Thank you for the thought experiment. I haven't had this much fun in a long time!