Obama Space Weapons Ban May Be Tricky

Speaking of dangerous buffoons.

Even Reuters feels obligated to give Mr. Obama cover in case he wants to re-think his dangerous pledge to do away with our missile defense system and other ‘space weaponry’:

Challenges loom as Obama seeks space weapons ban

Sun Jan 25, 2009

By Andrea Shalal-Esa – Analysis

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama’s pledge to seek a worldwide ban on weapons in space marks a dramatic shift in U.S. policy while posing the tricky issue of defining whether a satellite can be a weapon.

Moments after Obama’s inauguration last week, the White House website was updated to include policy statements on a range of issues, including a pledge to restore U.S. leadership on space issues and seek a worldwide ban on weapons that interfere with military and commercial satellites…

Watchdog groups and even some defense officials welcomed the statement, which echoed Obama’s campaign promises, but said it would take time to hammer out a comprehensive new strategy.

Enacting a global ban on space weapons could prove even harder…

Two years ago, China used a missile to destroy one of its own satellites in a test that raised worries about a new arms race in space. The incident may have created thousands of pieces of debris. Last year, the United States also destroyed one of its own satellites, saying its toxic fuel tank could pose a danger if it fell to Earth…

A defense official, who also asked not to be named, said the Obama administration had not yet held briefings for top officials working on military space issues, but it was clear that the focus would shift toward more diplomatic initiatives.

Work on classified projects involving an "active" military response to attacks against U.S. satellites might be halted in favor of more monitoring and passive protection measures, he said. He declined to give any more details.

The Obama administration also faces tough decisions on many multibillion-dollar satellite programs facing cost overruns and schedule delays, particularly at a time when rapid increases in military spending are grinding to a halt.

"There’s still a lot of wiggle room" in the administration’s statement on military space, said analyst Victoria Samson with the private Center for Defense Information. "But just the sheer fact that they are discussing it represents a real shift from the Bush administration." …

As we often note, history may not repeat itself, but stupidity sure does.

We have gone down Obama’s road numerous times before. The Russians, the Chinese and the rest of our enemies, simply do not abide by such treaties.

Instead, they see such bans as an opportunity to increase their own efforts. So that these pacts achieve exactly the opposite of their putative purpose.

By the way, note the moral equivalency Reuters draws here:

Two years ago, China used a missile to destroy one of its own satellites in a test that raised worries about a new arms race in space. The incident may have created thousands of pieces of debris. Last year, the United States also destroyed one of its own satellites, saying its toxic fuel tank could pose a danger if it fell to Earth…

Normally, one might chalk up such proposals to naiveté. But given Mr. Obama and his advisors, we suspect it is more sinister.

After all, they hate the fact that the US is the most powerful nation in the world. And they have long since promised to do something about that.

But we can’t say he didn’t warn us.

The Obama administration also faces tough decisions on many multibillion-dollar satellite programs facing cost overruns and schedule delays, particularly at a time when rapid increases in military spending are grinding to a halt.

You see, government spending that actually helps protect our nation and develop our technology cannot be allowed.

That money needs to go to more important needs, such as the teachers union and community organizers.