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Obama campaign ad promises deep cuts in defense spending
Several | Various

Posted on 03/06/2008 12:01:43 PM PST by Eye On The Left

This is a matter of national security which should concern every normal American.
These are Barack Obama's own statements below:

"First, I'll stop spending $9 billion a month in Iraq. I'm the only major candidate who opposed this war from the beginning. And as president I will end it.

Second, I will cut tens of billions of dollars in wasteful spending.

I will cut investments in unproven missile defense systems.

I will not weaponize space.

I will slow our development of future combat systems.

And I will institute an independent "Defense Priorities Board" to ensure that the Quadrennial Defense Review is not used to justify unnecessary spending.

Third, I will set a goal of a world without nuclear weapons. To seek that goal, I will not develop new nuclear weapons; I will seek a global ban on the production of fissile material; and I will negotiate with Russia to take our ICBMs off hair-trigger alert, and to achieve deep cuts in our nuclear arsenals."

Source: Barack Obama campaign ad:
NOTE: this is the ORIGINAL youtube Obama ad. Not the poor quality copy that is circulating the internet. This one (the good one) is titled "Obama-Caucus4Priorities". Another making the rounds is titled "In 52 Seconds Why Obama Cannot Win the General Election". However, the picture quality is terrible.
Youtube/BarackObamaDotCom:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7o84PE871BE

You can also find it at this site through a search for "Obama-Caucus4Priorities" (use the lower search feature):
http://www.youtube.com/user/BarackObamadotcom

Article: Obama Pledges Cuts in Missile Defense, Space, and Nuclear Weapons Programs:
http://missilethreat.com/archives/id.7086/detail.asp

From "45 Goals":

1. U.S. acceptance of coexistence as the only alternative to atomic war.

2. U.S. willingness to capitulate in preference to engaging in atomic war.

3. Develop the illusion that total disarmament [by] the United States would be a demonstration of moral strength.

http://www.uhuh.com/nwo/communism/comgoals.htm

"I will cut investments in unproven missile defense systems"??
Hey Barack, we just shot down a failed satellite travelling thousands of miles an hour!
U.S. Dept of Defense video of shootdown:

2007 Chinese anti-satellite missile test:
"The 2007 Chinese anti-satellite missile test was conducted by China on January 11, 2007. A Chinese weather satellite — the FY-1C polar orbit satellite of the Fengyun series, at an altitude of 865 kilometres (537 mi), with a mass of 750 kg[1] — was destroyed by a kinetic kill vehicle traveling with a speed of 8 km/s in the opposite direction[2] (see Head-on engagement). It was launched with a multistage solid-fuel missile from Xichang Satellite Launch Center or nearby."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Chinese_anti-satellite_missile_test

March 6, 2008
(New) Pentagon Report: China's Growing Military Space Power
By Leonard David
Special Correspondent, SPACE.com
posted: 6 March 2008

GOLDEN, Colorado — A just-released Pentagon report spotlights a growing U.S. military concern that China is developing a multi- dimensional program to limit or prevent the use of space-based assets by its potential adversaries during times of crisis or conflict.

Furthermore, last year's successful test by China of a direct-ascent, anti-satellite (ASAT) weapon to destroy its own defunct weather satellite, the report adds, underscores that country's expansion from the land, air, and sea dimensions of the traditional battlefield into the space and cyber-space domains.

Although China's commercial space program has utility for non- military research, that capability demonstrates space launch and control know-how that have direct military application. Even the Chang'e 1 — the Chinese lunar probe now circling the Moon — is flagged in the report as showcasing China's ability "to conduct complicated space maneuvers — a capability which has broad implications for military counterspace operations."

Hedging against the unknown

Military Power of the People's Republic of China 2008 is an annual report to Congress prepared by the U.S. Office of the Secretary of Defense.

While drafted by the Department of Defense, the report is the U.S. government's collective and unified view on Chinese military power, said David Sedney, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia in a March 3 Pentagon briefing on the just-issued report. The assessment, he said, has been vetted and cleared across interagency lines, including the White House, the National Security Council, the intelligence community, and other agencies.

The wide-ranging report is founded on the premise that China not only is a rising international economic power in the community of nations, but also is a rising military power with new and emerging capabilities that have global implications.

"The lack of transparency in China's military and security affairs poses risks to stability by increasing the potential for misunderstanding and miscalculation. This situation will naturally and understandably lead to hedging against the unknown," the report states.

Counterspace

In the space arena, the report cites the unannounced January 2007 ASAT test as demonstrating the ability of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) to attack spacecraft in low-Earth orbit.

"The test raised concern among many nations, and the resulting debris cloud put at risk the assets of all space faring nations, and posed a danger to human space flight," the report says.

"In the counterspace area, the Chinese test of an anti-satellite system, a little over a year ago, was something that really brought home, in a very dramatic way, the capabilities that China has been developing...not that we weren't aware of those developments beforehand," Sedney noted in this week's Pentagon briefing.

"But when you see something actually used, then it certainly attracts your attention. Because you've seen that, not only are they working on it, but they've done it ... they've acquired that capability," Sedney told reporters.

Work in progress

The newly issued assessment by the U.S. Office of the Secretary of Defense points to other Chinese space developments:

China is developing the Long March 5, an improved heavy-lift rocket that will be able to lift larger reconnaissance satellites into low- earth orbit or communications satellites into geosynchronous orbits by 2012, and is constructing a new satellite launch complex on Hainan Island.

The PLA has developed a variety of kinetic and non-kinetic weapons and jammers to degrade or deny an adversary's ability to use space- based platforms.

China is researching and deploying capabilities intended to disrupt satellite operations or functionality without inflicting physical damage. The PLA is also exploring satellite jammers, kinetic energy weapons, high-powered lasers, high-powered microwave weapons, particle beam weapons, and electromagnetic pulse weapons for counterspace application.

China is deploying advanced imagery, reconnaissance, and Earth resource systems with military applications. Examples include the Ziyuan-2 series, the Yaogan-1 and -2, the Haiyang-1B, the CBERS-1 and -2 satellites, and the Huanjing disaster/environmental monitoring satellite constellation.

China has established dedicated small satellite design and production facilities, and is developing microsatellites — weighing less than 200 pounds (100 kilograms) — for remote sensing, and networks of imagery and radar satellites. These developments could allow for a rapid reconstitution or expansion of China's satellite force in the event of any disruption in coverage, given an adequate supply of boosters. However, Beijing's effort to develop small, rapid-reaction space launch vehicles appears to be currently stalled.

Press reports indicate China will perform its first space walk later this year, and carry out rendezvous and docking in 2009-2012. China's goal is to have a manned space station and conduct a lunar landing, both by 2020.

Citing the requirements of its manned and lunar space programs, China is improving its ability to track and identify satellites - a prerequisite for effective, precise counterspace operations.

Hindering policy makers

In reviewing the just issued report on China, the focus on space has been reinforced, said Theresa Hitchens, Director of the Center for Defense Information (CDI) in Washington, D.C. The organization is active in analyzing various components of U.S. national security, international security and defense policy.

The space focus in the report is not surprising, Hitchens said, given the ASAT test by China in January 2007. "However, some of the focus seems odd. For example, there is a lot of language about [China's] manned space program. That is somewhat baffling because the expert opinion is that a manned space program is a very inefficient and inconvenient way to build up military space capabilities; and much of the work on manned space is simply not transferable," she told SPACE.com.

Hitchens said that while China may be researching high power microwaves and "particle beam" weapons, as noted in the report, "there is no evidence that these capabilities are near-term for anyone, especially the Chinese who are — despite concerns in the U.S. — still several decades behind the United States in space capabilities."

There is a slight aura of "very worst case scenario" in the report, Hitchens concluded, "which actually can hinder policymakers rather than help."

To read the entire publication [29.67MB/pdf], go to:
http://www.defenselink.mil/pubs/pdfs/China_Military_Report_08.pdf

Pentagon Report: China's Growing Military Space Power
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/080305-china-2008-report.html

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TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: democrats; election; nobama; obama; sdi
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1 posted on 03/06/2008 12:01:46 PM PST by Eye On The Left
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To: Eye On The Left

these statements alone will win millions of votes for McCain. This Obama novice is a rank amateur idealist with zero understanding of the world we live in.


2 posted on 03/06/2008 12:04:08 PM PST by ilgipper
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To: Eye On The Left
I will cut investments in unproven missile defense systems.

So, how's the satellite that was heading for Earth doing?

3 posted on 03/06/2008 12:04:27 PM PST by Puppage (You may disagree with what I have to say, but I shall defend to your death my right to say it)
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To: Eye On The Left

Mr. Obama is a child when it comes to the world.

He thinks that all we have to do to succeed in the world is hold talks with governments that hate our guts.

To state his foreign policy in a nut shell: “Talk is precious, action is cheap.”

He is a very, very dangerous man. America must remain strong militarily. Period.


4 posted on 03/06/2008 12:06:12 PM PST by RexBeach ("Americans never quit." Douglas MacArthur)
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To: Eye On The Left

So by change, he apparently means that he will weaken our nations ability to defend itself from enemies sworn to destroy us. Fools.

Democrats gut our military and Republicans have to spend the money to build it back up.

Clinton “coasted” on the Reagan defense build up.


5 posted on 03/06/2008 12:07:28 PM PST by HereInTheHeartland ("We have to drain the swamp" George Bush, September 2001)
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To: Eye On The Left

If you want peace prepare for war.

Was it Cicero or one of the Cato’s who said that? It was true over 2000 years ago and history has shown, over and over and over, that it is true today.

Obama’s position is typical leftist claptrap. It will lead inevitably to more violence and war and not less.

Obama is a fool.


6 posted on 03/06/2008 12:07:41 PM PST by scory
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To: ilgipper

McCain has so much material to use...but will he use it?...or will he run a lame campaign ala the senior’Bush and Dole?


7 posted on 03/06/2008 12:08:40 PM PST by cherry
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To: Eye On The Left
"I will not weaponize space"

A dangerous boast. There are serious people in govt. who will secure the nation at all costs. The man either has extra nads or not enough brains.


8 posted on 03/06/2008 12:10:41 PM PST by I see my hands (_8(|)
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To: Eye On The Left

CAREFUL ON CDI>>>Theresa Hitchins appears to be another of the Commie Arms Control types awa on the Editorial Board of the notorious Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.

Besides her duties as CDI director, Hitchens leads CDI’s Space Security Project. The author of “Future Security In Space: Charting a Cooperative Course,” she also continues to write on space and nuclear arms control issues for a number of outside publications. She serves on the editorial board of The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, and is a member of Women in International Security and the International Institute for Strategic Studies.
Phone: 202.797.5269 | Email: Thitchens@cdi.org


9 posted on 03/06/2008 12:12:24 PM PST by iopscusa (El Vaquero. (SC Lowcountry Cowboy))
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To: Eye On The Left
I will cut investments in unproven missile defense systems.
It has proven itself, both sea based, land based, and air launched, over and over again. He is either criminally ignorant, or an out and out liar.
I will not weaponize space.
While our adversaries do so.
I will slow our development of future combat systems. I will set a goal of a world without nuclear weapons. To seek that goal, I will not develop new nuclear weapons.
...and put us all at ultimate risk as our adversaries continue to develop theirs.

As Thomas Pain said about guns in general, "The supposed quietude of a good mans allures the ruffian; while on the other hand, arms like laws discourage and keep the invader and the plunderer in awe, and preserve order in the world as well as property. The same balance would be preserved were all the world destitute of arms, for all would be alike; but since some will not, others dare not lay them aside...Horrid mischief would ensue were one half the world deprived of the use of them..."

10 posted on 03/06/2008 12:13:00 PM PST by Jeff Head (Freedom is not free...never has been, never will be. (www.dragonsfuryseries.com))
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To: Eye On The Left

Is there anything these piece of mussie-dung wouldn’t do to favor the enemy? Please name something so I can figure out why any US citizen would vote for this gasbag.


11 posted on 03/06/2008 12:14:21 PM PST by Neoliberalnot ((Hallmarks of Liberalism: Ingratitude and Envy))
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To: Eye On The Left

If you believe America is a bully, that we are in a hopeless mess due to entrenched, unamed political/corporate elites, that we are no better than other cultures or lands, and that foreign dictatorships have moral equality with our own - then these statements make perfect sense.


12 posted on 03/06/2008 12:15:28 PM PST by PGR88
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To: Eye On The Left

So, he is running on a platform of intentionally and dramatically weakening the United States in an increasingly dangerous world. Good luck with that.


13 posted on 03/06/2008 12:16:09 PM PST by Pete (That goat is looking at me.)
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To: Eye On The Left

Obama aims to polarize America, probably leading to violence in the streets before the election.


14 posted on 03/06/2008 12:16:24 PM PST by Brian S. Fitzgerald ("We're going to drag that ship over the mountain.")
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To: Eye On The Left
At least we know exactly where the messiah of Illinois is coming from. Now that Pelosi and her band of misfit criminals have lowered the security curtain on us the Messiah will now put the nail in America's coffin by decimating the military so we ar now are bare a##ed naked before our subhuman enemies. American's voting for this moron and thier ilk are in need of a lobotomy. By the way they are acting at the Hussien concerts they already are lobotomized. God help us all!
15 posted on 03/06/2008 12:16:26 PM PST by ronnie raygun (Id rather be hunting with dick than driving with ted)
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To: cherry
McCain has so much material to use...but will he use it?...

Therein lies the most important question

16 posted on 03/06/2008 12:16:44 PM PST by Puppage (You may disagree with what I have to say, but I shall defend to your death my right to say it)
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To: ilgipper

Obama knows what he’s doing: surrendering oue nation to his faith.


17 posted on 03/06/2008 12:17:26 PM PST by Loud Mime ("Life was better when cigarette companies could advertise and lawyers could not")
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To: Eye On The Left
"I'm the only major candidate who opposed this war from the beginning. And as president I will end it."

Note, "I will end it" not, "I will win it". Democrats. Is there any not to question their patriotism?

18 posted on 03/06/2008 12:18:08 PM PST by Obadiah
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To: Eye On The Left
The long awaited sequel—JIMMY CARTER PART II
19 posted on 03/06/2008 12:18:42 PM PST by Brad from Tennessee ("A politician can't give you anything he hasn't first stolen from you.")
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To: Eye On The Left

It all makes sense when you realize Obama is rooting for the other side.


20 posted on 03/06/2008 12:19:05 PM PST by joebuck (Finitum non capax infinitum!)
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