Gambling Problem

From xan at Correntwire:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - China has beamed a ground-based laser at U.S. spy satellites over its territory, a U.S. agency said, in an action that exposed the potential vulnerability of space systems that provide crucial data to American troops and consumers around the world.

The Defense Department remains tight-lipped about details, including which satellite was involved or when it occurred.

The Pentagon's National Reconnaissance Office Director Donald Kerr last week acknowledged the incident, first reported by Defense News, but said it did not materially damage the U.S. satellite's ability to collect information...

Hitchens also emphasized that it would be extremely difficult to disable a satellite with a laser -- and even U.S. scientists had not developed a system to do that.

But there is growing concern among lawmakers about U.S. efforts to develop such anti-satellite weapons.

House of Representatives lawmakers tried to block a planned test of Starfire, a satellite and star tracking program, for fiscal 2007 after learning it could also be used as an anti-satellite weapon. The funds were reinstated only after the Air Force assured lawmakers it would be used only for tracking.

The Chinese incident also underscored the need to develop an international code of conduct for space. Currently, there are no specific rules or treaties governing behavior of the 40 countries that operate satellites, and about a dozen countries that have launch capability, Hitchens said.

In order to perpetuate their endless cash flow they feel they have to perpetuate endeless war.

To help this along, Dear Leader is endlessly saber-rattling.

The Dear Leader and Darth Rumsfeld suggest publically that the United States is going to develop new types of nukes and test them. So of course, the North Koreans do the same.

They publish policy statements identifying China as a long term "inevitable enemy" despite current peaceful relations and act like they expect no Chinese to notice.

They announce to the world they're going to focus on space-based laser weaponry, but instead of developing education here to produce enough scientists and engineers they hire and sub-contract them from the country who is feverishly trying to catch up on American weapon technology because they've been threatened by Americans.

They obsess with secrecy but hire the same nationals to help build and maintain the same information apparatus that guards their secrets.

One wonders if this is the same brilliant strategery Prescott Bu$h used to deal with the Third Reich.