Nexus - 1804 - New Times Magazine-pages

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At first, it appeared that there was a President in the 1993, a small amount of money ($5 million) was White House who didn't believe in space dominance. approved by US Congress to study the prospect of President Obama declared during his 2008 campaign "space-based interceptors" (SBIs), or killer satellites. that he "will cut investments in unproven missile Also for FY 2009, the Defense Advanced Research defense systems" and "will not weaponize space".*' —_ Projects Agency (DARPA), in its request for funding, said Those keeping a close eye on the weaponisation of _ that it was seeking "the ability to neutralize man-made space rejoiced, like many peace activists did during — space environments".” those heady days. Again, the world's newest saviour "It is a bold declaration that DARPA will be was going to keep the peace in Earth's lower orbits. researching ways in which to affect other countries’ But there's a twist. Obama was Congress's top _ efforts in space," said Victoria Samson, a space weapons recipient from missile defence contractors during the expert with the Center for Defense Information. "By 2008 election cycle, according to OpenSecrets.org. doing this sort of research under the radar, the Obama was given US$377,000, while Senator McCain Pentagon obviously figures it's easier to ask for was a distant second with $221,000. And for the first forgiveness rather than permission." time since 1994, Congressional Democrats in 2008 took Will President Obama keep his promise of cutting more money from the missile defence industry than did missile defence research and not weaponising space, or Republicans: the Democrats were handed $4.6 million, will super-rich missile defence contractors have too while the Republicans were given $4.5 million.” much influence over the President and Congress and In February 2008, Poland agreed in principle, but did keep the US on its current path towards putting not commit, to allowing within its borders a US missile | weapons into space? It sure appears as if missile defence battery loaded with kinetic interceptors that can defence contractors such as Lockheed Martin have shoot down satellites. The Obama on their puppet strings. move infuriated Russia and For FY 2010, the Obama raised the spectre of the Cold ne . administration cut only $1.2 War. This prompted then- The Obama administration billion off the missile defence President Vladimir Putin to say has called for a "new missile budget, and the overall total hat US missile defence ‘ " remained around $10 billion— outposts so close to Russia wil defense architecture that roughly the same annual upset the nuclear balance. This requires a greater emphasis average total spent during the is missile defence, so what did Bush administration. Then, for " e mean exactly by upsetting ona space-engagement FY 2011, Obama actually raised he nuclear balance? Simple. intercept layer". the missile defence budget by The interceptors that are roughly $500 million. Indeed, planned to be based in Poland missile defence advocates weigh 21,000 kilograms. They breathed a sigh of relief, one are also nearly as long as the Minute Man-lll, which high-ranking aerospace CEO saying that missile defence makes up a significant portion of the US's nuclear _ is "an embedded core element of the defense of the arsenal. They also roughly share the same diameter as __ United States" and is here to stay.” he proposed interceptor. If the US were secretly to put On the flipside, peace activists such as Gagnon say a nuclear warhead within the interceptor—which _ that if US missile defence continues as is, war in and echnically it could do—it would have a range of 6,000 from the Earth's orbits is on (and above) the horizon. ilometres. The proposed interceptor base in Polandis | Do you want more evidence that the US will some day just a few hundred kilometres away from the Russian — weaponise the heavens? The Obama administration has border. called for a "new missile defense architecture” that By 2009, however, the possibility of US missile requires a greater emphasis on a "space engagement defence batteries in Poland was squashed by the __ intercept layer of defense".”° Obama administration. The heat with Russia cooled, for As they say, promises are meant to be broken. he time being, but the planned European missile defence shield re-emerged under NATO at the 2010 Dual Use Weapons Lisbon summit and Russia agreed to come on board. Here is a compilation listing several major missile But, as Bruce Gagnon of the Global Network Against defence programs that some arms analysts and peace Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space said, don't activists say could be "dual use" and thus become space believe the unified hype that all of Europe will be safe | weapons some day. The following details are used with rom Iran and North Korea. permission from the Center for Defense Information” In the meantime, US missile defence plans in general and the World Policy Institute's Arms Trade Resource remain foggy, as they have throughout the last 40 years. Center. For FY (fiscal year) 2009, and for the first time since e The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) ona "space-engagement intercept layer". Dual Use Weapons Here is a compilation listing several major missile defence programs that some arms analysts and peace activists say could be "dual use" and thus become space weapons some day. The following details are used with permission from the Center for Defense Information” and the World Policy Institute's Arms Trade Resource Center.* ¢ The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) 12 * NEXUS JUNE - JULY 2011 The Obama administration has called for a "new missile defense architecture" that requires a greater emphasis www.nexusmagazine.com