The Pentagon's Bid to Militarize Space . . .

[OneBlueSky]

http://www.pinr.com/report.php?ac=view_printable&report_id=347&language_id=1

(snip)

Washington's Turn Toward Space Militarization

The Pentagon's plans to militarize space have definitely emerged. In mid-May 2005, the U.S. Air Force formally asked President George W. Bush to issue a presidential directive that allows Washington to deploy defensive and offensive weapons into orbit. Formally, the new directive is necessary to replace a precedent decree (PDD-NSC-49 -- National Space Policy) issued by the Clinton administration which forbids the indiscriminate militarization of space. While the decree has not yet been issued, speculations over the Pentagon's move already hit the news.

After the 2002 unilateral U.S. withdrawal from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, worries were raised about Washington's possible start of such a program, for it could transform space into a new battlefield. The U.S. Air Force request, coupled with the April 2005 launch of the XSS-11 orbital micro-satellite, increased the concerns of observers and world powers. XSS-11 is in fact specifically designed to disturb other states' military/reconnaissance or communication satellites.

A discontinuance of U.S. traditional policy about the restricted (e.g. peaceful) use of space could engender a new arms race -- which appears economically and technologically challenging and way beyond many states' reach.

- more . . .

http://www.pinr.com/report.php?ac=view_printable&report_id=347&language_id=1

[Sven77]

1. star wars

weapons in space for star wars, not to prevent a war or shield the US. They are a first strike weapon.

[wli]

2. ah, yes, "rods from god" again

Those can actually be worse than nukes, and a lot more like mid-scale meteor strikes. It's probably a good thing they're too expensive to be practical.

[Agent Orange]

3. PNAC strikes again...

"...Control the new "international commons" of space and "cyberspace", and pave the way for the creation of a new military service-U.S. Space Forces-- with the mission of space control..."

Page 12--PNAC: Rebuilding Americas Defenses: Strategy, Forces and Resources for a New Century
http://www.newamericancentury.org/RebuildingAmericasDefenses.pdf

[newyawker99]

4. Hi AgentOrange!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast: