President Trump made a surprise announcement Monday that he has ordered the Pentagon to establish a “Space Force” as a sixth branch of the US Armed Forces. He promised it would be “separate but equal” to the US Air Force.
If that means equal in cost, that’s huge. The US Air Force is expected to spend over $160 billion next year, which is more than any other military on the planet spends. This would be an enormous increase in US military spending on space.
Trump has been talking up the Space Force for months, saying the US is going to be doing a “tremendous amount of work in space.” Trump now says the US will not only have a presence in space, but will “dominate” space.
Which is an ambitious place to try to dominate. Analysts have been warning of the danger of militarizing space in and of itself, and with other nations barely taking steps into space at all, the US doesn’t exactly have a lot of heavy-spending rivals to throw money at defeating.
The Pentagon, however, sees space as a venue for even more costly boondoggles. Untold billions could be dumped into any of myriad Space Force projects, with no existing metrics established on how to tell if the projects are a success or a failure.
Exactly how long it will take to establish Space Force as the sixth branch of the US military remains to be seen. Though the US has been ratcheting up space spending in recent years, a full branch would be wildly more expensive, and would require establishing a lot of new bureaucracy to manage this system.
Sure, it’s not like the US isn’t wasting enough taxpayer money on pointless military…waste.
McDonald Trump.
Nuclearize the space [space=from one meter to moon high from Earth?] and denuclearize the ground.
Apollo 12 was landed exactly on a chosen spot of the Moon to demonstrate to the Soviet Union “if you build a launching base of nuclear weapons on the Moon we have the ability to destroy it”.
I don’t see how he has the authority to unilaterally create an entire new branch of the military, or am I crazy? Still got those checks and balances, right?
The crunch will come when he asks funding for that monstrosity.
I believe that is a RED LINE no nation on Earth will be allowed to cross!
Really? Who is going to stop US?
Or, I should say, Who is going to stop Trump?
The space aliens. Don’t worry were busy destroying ourselves.
Duck, if that be the case I will assure you they only care about this planet, not the rabid animal residing there, humans. If that be the case, do you think they will allow us to export our aggression into space??
Lets hope not. Sometimes I think they watch us as if were just a dumb TV sitcom.
Duck, In the amazing Ariel School case in the former Rhodesia, 1994, it appears a message was passed that we could do much better with our technology and to take much greater care of the Earth. If you have not studied this case please do so, it may change your outlook on everything, so be aware. (We can only imagine how it has changed the 62 school children that had the encounter up close and personal, that day).
Duck, In the amazing Ariel School case in the former Rhodesia, 1994, it appears a message was passed that we could do much better with our technology and to take much greater care of the Earth. If you have not studied this case please do so, it may change your outlook on everything, so be aware. (We can only imagine how it has changed the 62 school children that had the encounter up close and personal, that day).
Until they deal with space garbage, the “space stormtroopers” will live in the Midwest somewhere.
Duck, who do YOU think may just stop it, or rather put their foot down?
Such a big child
…with a great big hammer.
And the money will come from?
The poor people he pretends to care about. Who else?
We would be better off to send the defense contractors a trillion dollars to not build it.
Money is created by keystroke. Debt for that money is paid in blood, sweat and tears. This is freedom.
or freedom to be a slave to our middle-man masters.
We’ve already got manless drones orbiting in space right now mapping locations for direct impacts for America’s smart missiles to use on our adversaries. I suspect a weapon has been developed we can launch into space and keep it hovering in Earths orbit until we need them. In theory it be more cost effective because,we wouldn’t have to launch them and the rate of speed it could travel would be impossible for any defensive mechanism to deter or stop by any nation. The hypersonic missile of the future is upon us and I personally want to thank the Russians for it’s saber rattling when it announced it’s hypersonic missile program and helping to get Trump elected. Trump was a gift to America which was turning into Europe and is now on a roll. Sorry about the ole sanctions promises and all the other stuff he promised but, we’re gonna do the Reagen Republican thing now. No hard feelings
Comrades, it’s just politics…
Better living through killing and intimidation. Good luck with that.
Looks like the USA is coming to the same end as the USSR except without the natural resources. FreeDumb rules.
The USSR didn’t control the stock exchange,the world banks,and the New World Order .Keep wishing but, America is here to stay Comrade.
You know who DID control the stock exchange, the world banks, and the New World Order? The British Empire. And before that the Roman Empire. Here to stay, Bubba.
I’m going to make another prediction Mr.Knapp that will also come true right now just for you.I predictAmerica will still be around long after your demise and mine aswell. America isn’t going anywhere and it’s not our fault we’re smart enough to control most of the world and China and Russia have to team up just to compete militarily . Russia sanctioned is a gift to China with its energy resources and what they don’t hack and steal from them they purchase and reverse technology thus stealing it anyway. That’s a relationship of convenience, Russia needs money and China needs resources. Watch what happens when Russian sanctions are lifted.
Sam, you may be correct, and without the unity the Russian people have for one another and their nation! IMHO, the USA is terminal, and I do not place the blame on Prez. Trump, the damage was done well before him. 🙁
Still no affordable health care or enough decent jobs that pay a LIVING wage.
Play on Donald and enjoy your stay until the next Bozo is sworn in. At some time the jig will be up.
Full spectrum dominance from the “anti-empire” president. They are going to need a very large space garbage truck.
Sooo….young people who go to an Academy to become officers in the new Space Force….will they be known as Space Cadets?
Read this article on NEWSWEEK”U.S. Space Force will challenge Russia and China beyond this world “? by Tom O’Connor. A must read.
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