We're involved in the "War on Terror™". Our military is stretched too thin in Iraq as it sits as a daily target of car bombs and other violence. Our budget deficit continues to explode under irresponsible tax cuts. What does Bush do? Let's ramp up our space-based weapon systems?
WTF?
The New York Times reported Tuesday that the U.S. Air Force is seeking President Bush's approval of a national security directive that could move the United States closer to fielding offensive and defensive space weapons.
How stupid is this? Who are these space weapons defending us from? This presidentical directive would replace a 1996 Clinton administration policy that emphasized a less aggressive use of space, involving spy satellites' support for military operations, arms control and nonproliferation pacts.
Can't we focus on getting the hell out Iraq and perhaps pay a little attention to North Korea, who appears to be the only country in the "Axis of Evil" to actually have nuclear weapons?
If the US can't even get the land-based missile shield to work, what's to believe that the billions spent on space weapons would even work? Wasn't the whole Star Wars program in the 80s under Reagan somewhat a huge bluff to force the Soviets to overspend in a arms race poker game?
Read more and be disgusted.
http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/05/18/arms.space.reut/index.html