In what looks to be a highly ambitious and even more highly cost prohibitive scheme, President Trump has announced his intention to greatly expand US missile defense systems, with a major focus on putting them in space.
During his announcement Thursday at the Pentagon, Trump set out his goals, saying that he wants “to ensure that we can detect and destroy any missile launched against the United States – anywhere, anytime, anyplace.”
The Pentagon has had space-based interceptors on its wish list for some time, but between that and drones with lasers on them, they were far short of the sort of total, planet-wide coverage that President Trump is talking about.
A space-centric missile defense system must inevitably draw comparisons to the Strategic Defense Initiative, commonly called Star Wars, of the 1980s, a controversial and hugely expensive program that also sought space-based interceptors.
The timing of President Trump’s announcement will likely raise eyebrows on a few fronts, as it comes just a day after the US announced its intentions to withdraw from the Intermediate Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty with Russia, and just a day before North Korean officials are to arrive to meet with the secretary of state.
Especially with respect to Russia, US buildups of missile defense systems have been met with major suspicion that the US is trying to eliminate Russia’s deterrent capability, a concern which often leads to Russian threats of a new arms race. With a treaty having just collapsed, that’s an even bigger concern this time.
This also likely is tied to President Trump’s long-standing fondness for militarizing space, and his attempts to create a Space Force. During his speech, Trump declared space to be a “new warfighting domain.”
In space no one can hear you scream about the government throwing your money down the zero g toilet.
But where is the money to develop? Trump may not be aware of. America is broke.
Well, I guess if you cant figure out how to share, the only other option is bigger guns.
Because USA has plenty of money to burn.
Or the US government could get rid of the neo-con’s, neo-libs and assorted warmongering political class that control US foreign policy.
Much cheaper. Much faster. And MUCH safer.
At least Raegan was senile when he came up with the same idea.
Star Wars worked as a negotiating strategy. Coordinated with an oil price squeeze and being lured into Afghanistan, the Soviet Union realized it had economically lost Cold War I and quit.
The victory was squandered on keeping NATO alive, but for a short time the nuke threat was lifted and real peace on Earth, minus the rest in peace and ashes part, seemed possible.
The best defense should be laser defense Lasers travel at about 650 million miles per hour where missiles only come in at 17,000 miles per hour . Putin does not believe we can take out his missiles coming in from all directions from outer space
And the ones that travel under water?
This will make the war corporations happy, look for a big increase in the already insane high defense/war budget.
The corrupt Dems. and Rep. will vote it trough and even put more money on top of the request…..just like last time.
No PAYGO when it comes to the war machine.
Another decrease in the already low infrastructure budget
Looks like a move by Trump to placate the war-mongery yet set up peaceful trilateral arms negotiations not only with Russia, but China. This could backfire like how trade skirmish with China became seriously warm.
https://www.theepochtimes. com/with-exit-from-inf-treaty-trump-eyes-trilateral-nuclear-arms-pact-with-china-and-russia_2695746.html
The Russians aren’t happy, but this is still the perfect prelude to new trilateral arms treaty negotiations, putting more leverage on the table in Trump style. The admission that space is a new warfighting domain, may have snuck up on some civvies. Its no secret at all to world-class militaries and military watchers.
China’s arsenal is not well-covered by any treaties, and the U.S. has ‘admitted’ China may lead the world in arms development. Even bearing in mind that the Chinese threat is likely exaggerated like the Soviet threat was, and the tactical theatre different, the lack of critical arms treaties reigning in China is a problem.
https://news.usni. org/2019/01/15/dia-chinese-military-power-report
Russia has some leverage over China; at the very least, they have each other’s back. Any bilateral negotiations that Russia and China they coordinate as ‘Eurasia’ behind closed doors, places the U.S. at a disadvantage.
Of course, if Trump is not allowed to approach the table, let alone take stuff off the table, that could be a disaster for the U.S. and the West. The U.S. would really be pushing Modern Monetary Theory to fund a new Star Wars, the ongoing Long War hotspots, and a global economic war to contain China.
Trump’s opponents may also not be willing yet, to openly admit or encourage through admission, the obvious done deal of a united Eurasia any more than they are willing to admit Peak Empire.
A very complex scenario.