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Next Major War in Space?
An anonymous reader writes "A US Northern Command general thinks that with US and international military dependence on space assets (such as GPS, eyes in the sky, communications), the next major conflict will occur in the heavens. He acknowledged that the US wants to keep space peaceful, but that can't last forever, and potential threats might not care, anyway. Yes, China's recent success (or what we heard from the military secrecy) relates to this, but he also said he's not implying China is a threat, or will be."
That guy sounds like he suffers from Schizophrenia:
There's going to be a big war in space soon! Huge!
Not that the USA is going to start the war, on no. We're peaceful people.
But of course, that can't last forever! We might not be able to prevent ourselves starting a war soon.
But we're not war-like here in the USA, not at all.
But those damn Chinese getting into space, that might start a war, oh yes! We'll be ready for them!
I'm not implying that the Chinese are a threat or anything, oh no!
But they might be in the future...
No they won't! I'm not implying that!
Two things:
a) the closest recorded asteriod fly-by occurred recently, and we only knew about it *after* it had passed us
b) deflecting the path of an asteriod on a collision course would be a hell of a lot more difficult than you seem to think. I've not done the maths, but I'm not entirely sure that we're even up to the challenge just yet
It's official. Most of you are morons.
the US wants to keep space peaceful, but that can't last forever
Once you prepare for war, you've already started the war.
"Ford," he said, "you're turning into a penguin. Stop it."
...what military threat does China possess? They're a major economic ally now, and they only seem to wave their swords when Hong Kong or Taiwan threatens independence or something.
There was a greater threat of space combat with the Soviets when the Cold War was on, and that obviously never materialized. I'm sure this is just another obvious tactic to get more military funding from an already-overstretched federal government.
imo this is only feeding the existing paranoia 'everybody is after us' that the people in the united states have been brainwasged with since 911
No I dont think thats the case here, I think he's saying that space is one of the greater military advantages that Countries like the US enjoys. And that in the Future the fight is going to be to control that advantage or to knock out your enemy's space assets, or even just use your enemy's space assets against them. I think the other concern is that since China is probably not going to work together with us on the space thing(their space program is run by their military) they may be concerned with China and other space newcomers finding out exactly what we have up there watching them and/or them stealing our technology!
--Im an oven mitt, not an engineer! (SLArbys Radio Commercial)
So a US General, whose livelihood depends on the prospect or actuality of war, thinks that space will be a battleground at some point "in the next 20 years." OMG! It's so hard to believe he said that.
I bet if you asked, you could find a prominent US businessman who thinks space will become the next great financial frontier at some unspecified point "in the next 20 years," too.
And I would even go so far as to say a scientist thinks outer space will become the next focus of scientific inquiry "in the next 20 years!"
This article is nothing but idle speculation from a man who likely has no more ability to foresee a war in space than you or I.
The Star Wars program is no joke.... The Pentagon is so sure that whomever controls space will control the Earth and beyond that they are feverishly working to deploy anti-satellite weapons (ASAT's) that will enable the U.S. to knock out competitors "eyes in the sky" during times of hostilities. As the Space Command says in their slick brochure Vision for 2020, "Control of space is the ability to assure access to space, freedom of operations within the space medium, and an ability to deny others the use of space if required." - A quote from this article, very interesting. http://www.globenet.free-online.co.uk/articles/dom ination.htm
By Bruce K. Gagnon
More links on other military space topics:
http://www.gracelinks.org/nuke/starwars
http://www.envirovideo.com/starwars.html
Get real. If they can put a capsule into space that can circle the bloody planet 14 times they can also land that capsule filled with a nuclearbombnaut instead of a taikonaut anywhere, including the East Coast.
The dangers of excessive individualism are nothing compared to the oppressiveness of excessive collectivism
I'd strongly suggest people watch "Bowling for Columbine", for one point-of-view on fear mongering as part of the problem, reason, not just consequence.
I remember pointing out (right after 9/11) how silly most fears regarding terrorists using atomic (and to a degree, biological and even chemical weapons is) are, and was told by n+1 people how wrong I was ("nobody thought an airplane would be used as..."). I've yet to see any credible threat from that direction, and hopefully won't see during my lifetime. I don't think that's a coincident, or just act of efficient prevention. Yet many readers here thought it'd be inevitable, would happen right away. Just like attack of killer bees, Y2K causing armageddon, red threat leading to slavery of human kind, and dozens of other low probability threat people just bought without thinking for themselves. And of course nowadays in USA, the all-encompassing replacement for red threat, the almighty terrorism.
American journalists could do well to investigate terrorism in Europe (IRA, ETA, leftist terrorist groups in italy and germany, algerian and corsican-tied ones in french), to see how most of those terrorism waves come and go; how something awful that seems to be part of life may come to a complete halt (germany, late-70s, bader-mainhof); and finally how to, in the end of the day, get on with life. Not disregard dangers, but live with them, while working to get rid of them, if possible.
Sometimes it's just feels that before USA has seen some phenomenon, it's like it never existed. "World has changed forever, nothing will ever be the same". I know it's just part of american cultrue; big words, lots of pompous declarations, hot air; quotes from movies trying act heroic... and still it bothers me; compared to dignified but low-key responses more common in other places, when faced with horrible things.
That's why it'd be great to have better news services; without them, this introvertism regading other countries (while being very social, well mannered and likable within country) will continue to make USA xenophobic (as in fearing and distrusting other countries, and people living there; not as in racism towards different coloured americans).
I like paying taxes. With them I buy civilization -- Oliver Wendell Holmes
depends on which direction it was pointed. if the gun was pointed in the direction of Israel (west-ish), it would do no good as a means for getting something into orbit, as you'd be firing against the rotation of the earth. that's why rockets etc are always launched to go with the rotation, as it makes it *way* easier to get it up. i can't imagine what engineer would come up with that as a means to get anything close to orbit.
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Is this the MPAA? Is this the RIAA? Is this the DMCA? I thought it was the USA!