[Texgreen] Why we must rule space

[Roger Baker]

I'm so glad the US government got on top of this. What if the  
terrorists got ahold of spy satellites? Then where would we be? Who  
are the terrorists? Terrorist = anybody who opposes our "national  
interests". What are our "national interests"? Unfortunately, some of  
the details of that need to be classified just in case the terrorists  
might got ahold of them. But why do we have to find out about all  
this by reading a foreign newspaper over the Internet?

-- Roger 

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<http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=1547082006>



US insists it has right to keep its enemies out of space

TERENCE HUNT
IN WASHINGTON
PRESIDENT George Bush has signed an order asserting the right of the  
United States to deny adversaries access to space for hostile purposes.

Mr Bush also said the US would oppose the development of treaties or  
other restrictions that seek to prohibit or limit American access to  
or use of space.

The provisions were contained in the first revision of US space  
policy in nearly ten years. The order, signed more than a month ago,  
was not publicly announced, but unclassified details were posted on a  
government website.

"Freedom of action in space is as important to the United States as  
air power and sea power," the policy says. "In order to increase  
knowledge, discovery, economic prosperity, and to enhance the  
national security, the United States must have robust, effective and  
efficient space capabilities."

The policy says space systems should have rights of passage without  
interference and that the US would view any deliberate interference  
with its space systems as an infringement on its rights.

"The United States considers space capabilities - including the  
ground and space segments and supporting links - vital to its  
national interests," the policy said.

"Consistent with this policy, the US will: preserve its rights,  
capabilities, and freedom of action in space; dissuade or deter  
others from either impeding those rights or developing capabilities  
intended to do so; take those actions necessary to protect its space  
capabilities; respond to interference; and deny, if necessary,  
adversaries the use of space capabilities hostile to US national  
interests."

The White House said the policy did not call for the deployment of  
weapons in space. "This policy emphasises that the United States is  
committed to peaceful uses of space by all nations and that space  
systems enjoy the right of free passage," a spokesman said.

"Protection of space assets does not imply some sort of forceful  
action."