Air Force Seeks Bush's Approval for Space Arms

The New York Times ^ | May 18, 2005 | TIM WEINER

[blogblogginaway]

The Air Force, saying it must secure space to protect the nation from attack, is seeking President Bush's approval of a national-security directive that could move the United States closer to fielding offensive and defensive space weapons, according to White House and Air Force officials.

The proposed change would be a substantial shift in American policy. It would almost certainly be opposed by many American allies and potential enemies, who have said it may create an arms race in space.

A senior administration official said that a new presidential directive would replace a 1996 Clinton administration policy that emphasized a more pacific use of space, including spy satellites' support for military operations, arms control and nonproliferation pacts.

Any deployment of space weapons would face financial, technological, political and diplomatic hurdles, although no treaty or law bans Washington from putting weapons in space, barring weapons of mass destruction.

[axes_of_weezles]

Woo Hoo. Brilliant Pebbles!

It must work.

[Marine_Uncle]

"The proposed change would be a substantial shift in American policy. It would almost certainly be opposed by many American allies and potential enemies, who have said it may create an arms race in space."

Hasn't any heard, aheeemmm. There is this little friendly nation bordering Russia and Japan that has plans on taking over space militarily in the future. And the Russians once they get back on their feet by selling huge amounts of oil etc., will also be back in the game more actively. Lets not be naive on this issue. Heck the Japaness anounced some months back that they plan on putting a space station on the moon in twenty years. It's a free for all. Of course there is the issue of can we afford it? Don't know the answers.

[MJY1288]

George W. Bush will spend about 10 seconds thinking about this question and answer "You betcha"

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

My futuristic phaser is still protected by the 2nd.

[MJY1288]

I have an old article saved somewhere that speaks of this plan, it was before GWB became POTUS, I will see if I can find it and post it

[scott7278]

 

 "Star Wars, nothing but Star Wars, gimme that Star Wars, don't let them end!"

[Michael Barnes]

10 seconds is too long...

;-)

[Spktyr]

The more important question is, can we afford to NOT do it?

An interesting historical comparison is the War of 1812. Jefferson's insistence on buying smaller coastal gunships for national defense instead of more first rate ships like the Constitution resulted in the Brits deciding that trying a rematch was a good idea. The inability to intecept and interdict Brit troop reinforcements nearly cost us the war.

At the very least, having the ability to take out someone else's "eyes in the sky" before any combat action would be enormously beneficial.

[Drammach]

..... although no treaty or law bans Washington from putting weapons in space, barring weapons of mass destruction.

IIRC, there is, in fact, a treaty prohibiting space-based weapons..
I don't think it refers only to WMD or nuclear weapons, but to ANY weapons..
( Will have to look it up... later )

[Crazieman]

If you drop a 5 ton tungsten rod from space on a target, the UN would try to classify that as a WMD.

[Spktyr]

It's the 1967 UN Outer Space Treaty. However, it only prohibits the stationing of nuclear weapons or WMD in outer space, on the moon, or any other celestial body. It also states that space belongs to "nobody", much like the sea. Also, the Moon is off-limits for military purposes.

http://www.oosa.unvienna.org/SpaceLaw/outerspt.htm

However, a railgun used to launch payloads to Earth on the moon is a dual purpose system that could be used for sending passengers and ore home or to bombard the Earth's surface (as anyone who read 'The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress' knows). The treaty prohibits X-Ray lasers, but Brilliant Pebbles or any other sort of KKV is not prohibited.

[datura]

What, they're trying to say we don't already have space based weapons? We friggin better have by now. If not, why not?

GIT R' DONE, DAMMIT!!

[Spktyr]

That would be "because Clinton and company killed them off and funnelled the money to 'midnight basketball leagues'."

[Doofer]

I left the Navy a little over 2 years ago and there was a Turf War going on between the Navy and the Air Force on which of the two Services would have overall control of this program. To someone who's been out of the loop for awhile it looks as if the Air Force has decided to take the War public.

[blogblogginaway]

"Brilliant Pebbles" for those who aren't familiar with the term was a missile defense shield that would render nuclear warheads impotent and obsolete. In addition to eliminating incoming nuclear warheads, each component of the 4,000-satellite constellation was designed to protect U.S. space-based assets, attack its Soviet counterparts, or sacrifice itself in a one-time spy mission. Brilliant Pebbles was conceived under the Reagan and first Bush administration. When Dick Cheney was Secretary of Defense under Reagan, he referred to Brilliant Pebbles as the White House’s “number one project.”

You can read more about it here ..........

http://www.thespacereview.com/article/368/1

http://www.missilethreat.com/systems/bp_usa.html

http://www.armscontrolcenter.org/nmd/cbo.html

http://www.afpc.org/02conf-cooper.shtml

[Prophet in the wilderness]

Yes.... when we hear all of the reasons why we should not pursue this ..... and then ? we all know who are the advocates who don't want the (USA) to be in the forefront in technology, and military power.
We are the liberals, the leftist, the anti American crowd, the anti war crowd, the PEACE NICS in their yelling, and denouncement against those other countries who ALSO ! are pursuing the high ground in the space race.
No .... we can not be naive to believe that the Peace Nicks, and the Liberals are TRUELY after wanting PEACE ? do they ?
No... their hidden agendas, and TRUE motives can not be hidden from us, their motive(s) is to make the USA weak, to make America weak in many areas that they can do economically, militarily , diplomatically, financially, to subvert the USA.
You and I , and our fellow Freepers, and those who love America need to stand up to their lies, and the evil force that is threatening to bring America down.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

Something tells me, that ? since it was Dick Cheney who said it was the WHITE HOUSE " number one project " then ? we can have confidence that, since Dick Cheney is still in a high level office as VP, that the program is still alive, and doing well.
Thank God, that BUSH and CHENEY won both elections.

[antaresequity]

DUH

[Prophet in the wilderness]

Sorry for the typo,,,, I meant in the 4 th line:
" Were are the Liberals, the leftist, the anti American crowd, the anti War crowd, the Peace nicks, in their yelling, and their denouncement against those OTHER countries who ALSO are pursuing the high ground in the space race " ?