Take care of terra firma before tackling space - reunite those babies/children with their parents. Pence - all statesman-like, sounding like hot air...all he needed was a cape and the marines in the background singing something patriotic like "God Bless America...- turned me off big time... already have seen how Pence, watered down version of water, turned a blind eye and continue to shield his eyes and christian heart to suffering children and parents. What about the children?
1
When are we going to fight the big battle here on earth of us against the destructive forces of climate change?!
Mr. Mattis, our earth is becoming a contested war-fighting domain, and we have to adapt to that reality.
Rep. Jim Cooper, seldom, (if ever), has our great planet been so vulnerable.
2
Why stop there? We have the Army, (to be renamed the Ground Force). Navy, ( to be renamed the Water Force). The Air Force is OK as is. Soon the Space Force. The Marines and Coast Guard should remain as is with no "Force" suffix. However, I feel our submarine fleets deserves their own service branch to known as the Underwater Force.
We will need to expand the Pentagon into a Hexigon or maybe a Heptagon to house the additional personnel that will be required by the mammoth increase of duplication in our Fabulous Five Forces.
4
First it was America, now it's "Make Space Great Again". Who knows, maybe he'll build a wall between Earth and Mars.
4
There’s a really neat technology already out there that can effectively counter the debilitating impact of a loss of GPS capabilities: it’s called a map and compass.
2
This is very important, and more detail is needed.
Pence spoke about outer space. He looked and sounded crazy. Scary if he’s next. All markets took a dive today . Everything. Related? Yup.
We look nuts.
7
Let's send Trump and Pence on the first mission. They're already 'space cadets' from way back.
5
Yet another Dumb idea/proposal from Trump.
Our real national security concern is not outer space but cyberspace. Conventional war with foot soldiers, ships and planes will be overshadowed and maybe even replaced by cyber wars. If we don't defend against this real threat we may one morning wake up to find the sun is shining and everything looking the same but nothing is working. No TV, no internet, no phones, no traffic signals, no ATM's etc. etc.
Donald Trump lives in an alternate universe of his own creation. No wonder he thinks we need a SpaceForce.
5
This It’s nonsense to form a new branch for space when the Air Force other branches of our military already monitor space interests. It was compared to taking submarines amd forming the “under sea branch of government.” Yes protecting satellites necessary for communication, intelligence, science and more is important. That’s being done. We don’t need a space arms race either. I also feel our religious extremist VP chose this for his first presidential “here’s how I will look” appearance and agree with those seeing it as anticipation of Trumps potential exit. I also hope that Trump is part of the exit and Mueller finds his crimes along with the others who colluded in the endless GOP conspiracy. These guys need to go.
Btw I don’t recall humanistic reaction from holier than thou Pence during the racist Nazi Charlottesville Virginia violence, their tragic murder of lovely Heather Heyer (say her name not “that girl who was killed” ) and intimidation of Jews in their synagogue during service standing across the street in uniforms while the people fled through the back and the Charlottesville PD didn’t provide protection. That’s the outer space world Pence lives in. What a space cadet. And now they will have the next rally in Charlottesville. They’d really be from outer space to try that in New York. Outer space will be the comments coming with this rally. Outer space is any idiot who creates violence like the protester jerk criminal who made a flamethrower from an aerosol spray can
5
Outer space force? We have that with Trump, Pence Pence is saying “I’m walkin here” and talking about outer space. He’s trying to look Presidential which actually looks like a 70’s TV movie, but we know he’s a phony racist fanatic who never spoke outrage over Charlottesville even about Heather Heyer who was murdered by his supporters. Amen.
6
This work is already being conducted,. The creation of a new branch of the military will only increase militarization here and around the world, it is classic prisoner's dilemma.
1
Maybe if someone convinces the baby-in-chief that a "Health Force" is needed, we might get something good out of this presidency.
5
“Infrastructure”
“30 year old loser hacking computers from his parents’ basement”
...and we’re getting a space force.
2
Space Cadet Bone Spurs tries to distract the people with some slight of (little) hand, while the collusion/conspiracy/tax evasion/money laundering/bribery chickens come home to roost.
7
I giggled :)
Weren’t these morons campaigning and later governing on the concept of “smaller government”?
What happened to that?
4
With all the dots careening around the presidents cranium, it's only a matter of time before he comes up with the brainwave of a coal fueled space force.
6
I hope the Mueller team is planning on questioning Pence for his involvement in Trumps crimes against America. How could he not be part of it? Impossible!
Outer space is exactly where his terrible right wing ultra religious racist conservative thinking belongs. He needs to go with Trump. He is getting ready. We will see him more every week. He’s a shrewd religious crazy. I hope something comes up on him.
4
Apparently Pence is as deranged as Trump. We need roads and bridges not a space force. How stupid!
5
Will William Shatner head the agency?
2
The idea has some merit. However, establishing a a new government entity is ludicrous. Someone suggested, the US Air Force and Space Agency for a name. Why duplicate the administrative functions. The agency would start with 500 staffers and grow to 5000 is a short time. Also, It the use of office space and furniture would be minimal. There is much more that can be done to save money. Finally, there should be a new logo which would be used anywhere appropriate.
This actually makes sense, and would have needed to be developed eventually (under any party), but Trump should be the very last person in charge of it.
Ridiculous diversion from Trump problems and also Pence is trying to introduce himself with a greater presence in case he becomes president. Hopefully he will be indicted too. We already have outer space force with the existing military with huge space monitoring of satellites, meteors and more and can expand things. We don’t need a new branch. This is idiotic high school fantasy nonsense from Trumps mind.
6
This space force deal with reference to God and heaven is his way of appearing before the public, speaking at the podium which I believe he will do so now very often. He’s preparing us for his style when and if he takes over from Trump. He’s showing his presidential act. Not a pleasant sight. This is what we’d get along with horrible decisions Horrible isn’t it. Here’s the thing. He’s provably complicit in Trump illegal doings and i hope the Mueller team questions him. Criminal co conspirator.
4
Donald Trump is seeking a Space Force
For the billions asked he’ll find a source
But more importantly
It’s for reportedly
So he feels safe on the golf course
2
Splendid. You're hired as a presidential speechwriter, though just not for this one.
1
Would a Space Force be powered by the same rocket engines currently used to lift heavy payloads from the Earth? Or will the Space Force be as pedestrian as the folks proposing it? Check out the RD-180 rocket engine and where it is made for answers.
"Peace Only Comes Through Strength"?? So Pence caught a screening of Dr. Strangelove but as usual failed to learn anything from it. This is the regime that hates science and ed-u-ma-ca-tion, how could they possibly get a space force off the ground?
Unless the "Space Force" insists Trump and Pence go to the moon to inspect the troops personally.
4
For an administration of science deniers, you'd think this kind of aerospace scheme would be out of character. But there's nothing scientific about this. It's more like 6-year-olds playing a spaceman's version of cops-and-robbers, except with the ability to raid this country's apparently bottomless bank account.
3
This is a terrible idea. We don’t need a provocative act in space. We have more to lose then to win. This is a highly classified Area, already being worked by the Pentagon, and we don’t need to advertise it. Furthermore, it will be very expensive to create a new bureaucracy. The last time we formed a military service was in 1947 when we formed the US Air Force from the US Army Air Corps, after World War II. The Navy kept its naval aviation. It buys different aircraft than the Air Force Buys. The Trump campaign has already put out votes for six decal choices. If you have the email look.
There are six of them here in three rows up two each. The upper left hand one on row one is number one. The one to the right is Number two etc.
Number one borrows the NASA logo, not a very good idea.
Number two Is unimaginative.
Number three has the symbol of the space shuttle, which is a failed platform…
Number four looks like a plastic toy you popped out of the bathtub as a kid…
Number five repeats the Space shuttle mistake.
Number six is ludicrous. What’s Mars got to do with it? That’s the province of NASA. Mars is so far from the Earth and even for our highest flying assets at Geosynchronous altitudes, there is no possible Space defense from that body. For instance, it takes eight minutes to communicate one way from Earth to Mars. What are they thinking of? The Trump administration is truly clueless about space defense.
1
The NYC builder and developer who bragged about profiteering from his bankruptcies is now doing the same to this country. Trump is playing the magnanimous overseer by tossing billions of our dollars at schemes he thinks will bolster his popularity and power. This is a delusional real estate racketeer who dreams big with money from our bank accounts, while he doesn't pay a dollar. The president waves his wand for a military parade that'll ape those of admired dictators like Russia's Putin and North Korea's Kim. Who cares how many millions it's costing. Trump demands a towering wall to lock out asylum seekers. So that it's tens of billions of American -- not Mexican -- dollars. There's much more and now, out of thin air, Trump dreams up a reheated Star Wars plan to create an entirely new branch of the military. It's an aerospace force to impose American law and order on...what? Some outerspace trash, the occasional meteor and a scattering of orbiting satellites? The true price for all this is astronomical and threatens to bankrupt a nation that's already profoundly indebted. Of course, by the time the toll becomes oppressiveand payment due, this president will be but a bitter memory. Remember how Bush 43's curdling, banking deregulations triggered a crash during his successor's first term. So where have all today's debt hawks gone? Cuddling up to a ruinous leader.
7
VP Pence is ever more the robot man. His hinges seem to need oiling, though he’s so slick, commandeering God himself to rally for destroying the universe.
Inventing the travesty of a Space Force is surreal, but so is The Wall, separating families without so much as wrist bands to identify who goes together, raising smog levels, reintroducing asbestos products … ad nauseam.
As they sang in The Wall, “Is there anybody in there? Nod if you can hear me.”
When it comes to Pence, there is no one in there.
6
The scary part is Mike Pence. He's practicing for more speech-making.... if you know what I mean. He sounds thoroughly "presidential", doesn't he?
4
A pence for Trump's thoughts? This nutty idea seems inspired by Reagan's Star Wars; like a fence that keeps people in as well as out, a Space Force could spy on or intimidate political opponents at home as easily as those in other countries. And whatever happened to infrastructure?
2
I'm Sorry. I'm afraid this administration would turn this Space force into an offensive weapon and not for defense. Just another thing to hang his name on and say. Look at Me! Is this just a rehashed Star Wars project?
I want our Tax Scam money back not spend more on defense. He is using our fear of aggression to turn us into the aggressor . Our military Men and Women are not toy soldiers for president man-child to play with.
1
I don't think anyone would disagree that it is imperative to think and operate on a strategic level, which can and would mean developing a capacity and operational ability to counter threats in space. However, to create a new military branch, when we have the resources to expand or combine different facets of existing agencies to accomplish the same goal, is deeply irresponsible. DoD gets plenty of money, but even without this Space Force (or Farce), mission critical civilian agencies dealing with security clearances, cyber attacks and security, potential insider threats and much more are severely underfunded and resourced. If SECDEF and the President want to improve force readiness and capability, they should start with problems that already exist.
1
The “threats to our nation” would be reduced if this administration were not in power.
We have alternative ways to reduce the threats and they do not involve shifting money from heath, education, and the environment to military contractors.
5
Is it not the case that Elon Musk and Russian built rockets are currently the prime suppliers of the rockets that would be part of the US "space force?" Dumb name, "space force."
2
My name for it is Space Farce. What they really should do is just create a VR app or game called Space Force, with lots of licensed merchandise, which will give the “it’s so cool to say ‘Space Force’” people something to play with and feel a part of. Proceeds from sales of branded merchandise could go to fix the VA. Or Flint’s water. Or Puerto Rico’s electric grid and water supply.
(And the logos they are having people “vote” on are terrible. Hey ought to crowd source designs, and only show them in the context of the logos of the other branches of the military.)
1
US elections are always about policy change, disrupting the status quo. Trump lied about disrupting it, got elected on a lie, and only stops lying when he is busy playing golf during our nation’s most frequent and most expensive presidential weekend getaways EVER.
The weekends away cover for the fact that he isn’t getting dinner invitations in DC. No friends. This is the biggest cultural change in the life of the presidency to date.
But the policy difference between a electing a Republican rather than a Democrat to our highest office never changes.
Do you want to spend more money on Military Contractors represented by the Pentagon salesforce? Then vote for the GOP. If you want to spend that money on health, education, and the environment, vote for the Democrats.
4
Of course the Pentagon got behind the idea after initial reluctance. The military have smelled money and career opportunities. This is going to cost a gazillion and, like the nuclear deterrent, (hopefully!) it will never have to work for real. What consultants call a win-win. From the tax payers' point of view it will probably be more like a black hole ( :-) ).
Space cadet Pence speaks, at last, but what comes out of his mouth is, as one would expect, out-of-this-world gibberish. A space force--give me a break. He and Mother need to focus on what's vital on Earth first.
3
How about filling the pot holes from sea to shinning sea or putting the electricity grid underground, or
installing fiber to the nod broadband to every customer, or replacing all the eroding bridges, and building high speed rail? Trump promised to fix our aging infrastructure, not start another space race.
6
that's why Trump is trying to make better relations with Putin because Putin's got guns pointed at our satellites. Putting economic sanctions on Russia gives them even more reason to pull the trigger.
Really? Pence thinks this is an idea whose time has come? The world is on fire from climate change. How about some ideas for that?
1
Pence is confused. The speech he was supposed to deliver was about “cyber” not the air above his head, or in his case, in it.
God help us if Pence is left in charge.
4
What hypocrites! The already bloated military budget already is 54% of our federal spending budget and that is not enough for these war crazed Republicans? Time to investigate how many campaign contributions are coming to Republican coffers from companies that will profit from “Space Wars”.
3
We laugh at our expense. VP Pence's aggressive announcement about the militarization of space at the Pentagon - on 9 August - was no coincidence.
John Bolton is exactly the kind of "big talk, little stick" Space Hawk to use - the anniversary date of the Nagasaki bomb - for "American dominance" speech.
Yes, Bolton is that rabid .. to use the 73rd anniversary .. to project fear of our nukes. (And undo Obama's May 2016 Hiroshima healing: "(The dead) ask us to look inward.")
Obviously, the USAF could just use its normal acquisition channels to spend the $8 billion over 5 years - not nearly enough for actually building Weapons of Satellite Destruction (WSD's).
But, Trump Administration has 3 OTHER REASONS for the ridiculous expense of standing-up a 6th branch of service:
1. Trump's ego to have the fashion runway of Space Force, maybe at his military parade, to become legacy.
2. Republican politics to run on strong defense against the next boogeyman - attacks in space. Thus giving Trump politicians, the Space Platform to rail against do-nothing Democrats.
3. Most importantly, this new branch of service will be introducing Team Trump acquisition. Expect privatization to fuel this rocket. Why wouldn't they shift Air Traffic Control privatization to their new agaency, it uses Global Positioning Satellites. Also, expect some Eric Prince-style privatization of men in uniform, because once they crack that nut in their new agency, they'll export it into the Army.
Where is the list of Trump business cronies that will profit from defense spending for the Space Force? Follow the money.
1
Like all the other poppycock that deluges out of his mouth, this is another thing to divert attention and create more chaos by which to run this game show of a presidency.
1
When I heard this, it made me incredibly sad. I know that SDI was a similar attempt to weaponize space, but with all the suffering and failures here on Earth, isn’t there a better use of our time, treasure, and talent?
For whatever reason, I also immediately thought of the poignant message delivered by the crew of Apollo 8 to the people of “the good Earth” as their craft entered lunar orbit on Christmas Eve, 1968: The creation story from the book of Genesis. Now, there’s this. We persist in our attempt at self-destruction, and the mind boggles.
6
It is easy to mock the idea of a space force and it’s not clear to me why the Air Force or Navy couldn’t be responsible for space based defense systems, but we are incredibly dependent on satellites for communication and navigation. A first strike by China or Russia to take out our satellites could be devastating in a war. I don’t like the idea of weaponizing space, but the threat is real.
I think Trump is the worst President in modern history and that he is reckless and irresponsible. However, I am increasingly concerned by the knee jerk reaction by the left to immediately take a position diametrically opposed to anything Trump says, just because he said it. Broken clock, twice a day, yada yada yada.
1
Mr. Pence is another embarrassment for the USA.
2
This is a priority? The Administration has lost it's collective mind. Definitively.
Space Force. Juveniles are governing America.
1
An undertaking of this magnitude is too important to be handed off to underlings to accomplish.
We need the best man on this task.
This is why Trump should be sent to space on the next available rocket to personally take charge.
4
Are cyber attacks not a more eminent threat to our country? My guess is that the only reason we are not considering a more logical defense response is that “Nerd Force” didn’t sound marketable to mister Trump.
This is insanity! Listen to the language used, you’d think we’re facing a mortal enemy, the odds are stacked against us and the consequence is the fate of all humanity. And this from Mr. Religious. Where and when did his Jesus ever take the road of, “peace only comes through (read: military) strength?”
1
How about 1st securing the Earth based Internet / GPS / Power Infrastructure Swiss cheese system the current regimes have come to rely on ?
You know - the one no one wants to fix ? The one that will be taken out in the 1st ten minutes of the next global
conflict ? Leaving a great deal of our forces blind in the battlefield along with all their little Gee Whiz Tech toys totally useless.
How about securing what we already have ?
3
Just like Reagan. First, destroy regulations then movie on to inhibit and intimidate our worker's unions (air traffic control Reagan jumped down their throats) and then: STAR WARS INITIATIVE a net of laser beams outfitted in rockets projected through outer space of the stratosphere!
Trumpy space force thing is probably a way to funnel money into some crazy Iran Contraish scheme. The Wall that Mexico is supposed to pay for? Hmmm?
Mankind has already brought the cancer of war to all corners of this planet. Now, they would bring it to space.
Eventually, they will bring it to other planets and solar systems, unless they (we) are stopped
We will be told that there's no money for reducing student debt, building low-income housing, or for repairing crumbling infrastructure.
3
Can we power our rockets with “clean coal” yet?
Hydrazine is cool too I guess. Long live the legacy of Wernher von Braun. To the moon!
Why is it that the biggest chest-thumpers are the ones who never served in the military? Pence isn't quite as bad as Trump, who got a bogus bone-spurs deferral, but he still never served.
As an aside, this article conflates the very different matters of low-earth-orbiting (LEO) spy satellites, which fly a few hundred miles above the earth (making them somewhat easier to shoot down) versus, say, the GPS satellite system that flies in medium-earth-orbit (MEO, about 12,000 miles above the earth), which makes them MUCH more difficult to shoot down.
But in any case, it's not like the US isn't already addressing these issues. I know: I worked on satellite technology for my career (weather satellites, specifically--which, by the way, are also targets since the military relies heavily on them for battlefield operations, among other things). This is another wasteful program in the making.
Maybe an intrepid NYT investigative reporter could see whether certain defense contractors who stand to benefit from this crazy program have ties to Pence and others? Any of these companies conveniently located in Indiana? As usual, follow the money.
4
Trump ruins the reputation of everything he touches! NASA is still important, even if Trump likes it. They have been underfunded for decades and, despite Trumps rhetoric, they are still underfunded. With all the problems on our planet, why invest in space sciences? As global warming heats up, we will use more and more of the tools that we are currently inventing to visit and exist on an inhospitable planet (i.e. Mars). Also, NASA spending goes straight back into the economy. They employ American engineers and technicians and their inventions are given to the American public: https://www.inverse.com/article/39318-nasa-budget-contribute-to-the-us-e...
“It may seem like a lot of spending, but for every dollar NASA receives, it reportedly returns $7 to $21 back to the American public through its Technology Transfer Program. This program’s whole purpose is to identify technology, inventions, and innovations that might have some use outside of their original space program. If an idea is new and has commercial viability, this program will not only fund the research, but it will provide the findings to the public at either a small cost or, for some startups, no charge at all.“
And, yes, Space Force is a dumb idea. Not because we don’t need our military involved with space for our country’s safety, they already are, but because we don’t need another branch of the military doing what the Airforce is already doing (Airforce Space Command).
1
Which Republican donors have inspired this boondoggle?
3
This is what happens in an election year when you need to solidify your hawkish base, but know they can't stomach a new armed conflict at the moment. It's also what happens when you can't start a new war, but you need to find a way to funnel more private contract money to your donors and future business partners.
18
How about Health Care for all first???
19
Instead of adding billions of dollars to the deficit and inflaming worldwide tensions how about negotiating a verifiable treaty to ban militarizing space?
18
A “Virtual” Space Force will find more action on the ground defending internet born hack attacks on our democracy, our election system.
5
The Air Force is already on top of this. Creating yet another massive military bureaucracy is insane and expensive. Kind of like Trump.
16
The grifters must not be happy with the current pace of looting the US treasury. This presents a whole new opportunity to enrich defense contractors and increase political contributions, republican of course.
11
The "next battlefield?" What happened? Did we run out of room for them on Earth?
10
The Grim Reaper announces the militarization if space. Endless space, endless war. #GOP=Death
6
With all the problems on our planet, NASA and this new space force should be limited to satellites and other essential defense and communication services. Exploring other planets and manned space stations is no longer a priority.
In case the administration has not been paying attention to the news, we need a centralized military cyber security force.
5
The United States already effectively has a ‘space force,’ it is the Air Force Space Command. Absolutely nothing will change under this ridiculous face-saving exercise in PR spin control: they are replacing “Air Force” with “United States” in the title, that is all. Oh, except for the millions (billions?) of dollars in administrative costs associated with this subtle name change, reflected in everything from letterhead to Internet domain names – it is colossal waste of taxpayer dollars, which accomplishes nothing, other than attempting (and failing) to make Trump appear to be less of an idiot.
The Air Force does not pay enough attention to space? Nonsense! Antisatellite weapons have been around since the Reagan era: this is nothing new, nor a new threat which is supposedly being ignored by the Air Force (that is an insult to those who have been diligently working this problem for the past 35+ years), the response is intrinsically associated with the Air Force (including air-launched ASATs of our own), and also tightly coupled with cyber warfare operation (also under Air Force control). Ah, but the Chinese and Russians!
Ah, the Russians: Trump learned about the Russian VKS (Vozdushno-Kosmicheskiye Sily, aka Aerospace Force), and by golly if Putin has one, then Trump must have one too! Wah. And so the ministers gather and make public pronouncements as to protect the image of the child (minded) emperor. What has happened to America? This pathetic display is hardly great.
13
Maybe a “Space Force” could do something about that gas giant sitting in the Oval Office.
12
8 billion for space security but we don't adequately fund for the education of our population nor to help feed the poor. Our current government believes in a strong police state but is it to protect us or control us?
10
Trump could be handed a subpoena or an indictment at any moment. So he doesn't care that Puerto Rico is still devastated, drinking water in the Midwest is still brown, and that California is consumed in flames. Trump has a new toy set, complete with soldiers. Stop the presses.
2
Please, please, please Mr Vice President, appoint yourself as General, Space Army and spend the next 50 years up there looking for bad guys
And while you are at it, appoint Ryan and McConnell as your deputies
To the future and beyond!!
10
I'm already rooting for the cylons.
5
Of bad ideas,,, this one tops even the Wall.
The wall?? It won't, it cannot stop anything. and half the southern border is water, the other half, desert.
But back to the 'Space Force'. It is against International Treaty,,, signed by a Republican president, was it not.
Expensive,,,, beyond comprehension. 100,000 dollars to put a kilogram into LEO. Each dinner, for each soldier in LEO a quarter of a million dollars. Twenty bullets, a million dollars. Laser and projectile armor for just one soldier, a billion dollars.
Space is for explorers and scientists. A two dollar bullet here is 100 million there. That space arms race will not, cannot be won by skill or money,,, but it is certain to bankrupt any country that tries it.
Have you ever heard of the USSR? They went bankrupt trying it,,, they are now called Russia, and half their former size.
Both projects are just money down a rat hole. Pour as much money down them as you want,, you'll never fill the rat hole.
2
I have been writing my congressional delegation every day about the children at the border and the Kavanaugh nomination. Every day. But today, I felt compelled to write on a slightly different subject:
Dear Senators and Congresswoman,
For today a totally different subject. Not that I am any less concerned about the Kavanaugh nomination or the children at the border.
But
But
Just for today.
And I hope that I can be really really really really really really really really
Clear.
I DO NOT WANT TO GIVE ONE TINY BIT IF MY TAXES TOWARDS THE FUNDING OF.......
SPACE FORCE
Not one penny. So, if you could be so kind as to write me a note that I can send to the IRS I would be very very very very very very very grateful. I know you're busy so I'll even write it for you.
Dear IRS,
Please excuse me and my husband from sending any portion of our tax money to the Space Force funds.
Sincerely,
And then you sign your name.
If I have to go to detention for this, so be it.
Please and thank you.
2
Quick! Cue the "Star Wars" theme!!!
4
Will they be called Space Cadets? That somehow seems fitting...
4
Quite frankly, this is a pointless endeavor for the U.S. In reality, there’s not enough math & science talent coming out of America to make this idea at all possible—and the China/Russia coalition knows it.
Better to spend the cash on primary and secondary math & science education in the hopes that America will catch-up to its Asian counterparts.
Good luck with that. <eye roll>
4
President Eisenhower, a real military hero, old school republican, and respectable human being on September 22, 1960, proposed that the principles of the Antarctic Treaty be applied to outer space, to ban the orbiting and stationing in outer space of weapons of mass destruction. Now the new Republican Party is proposing to bring humanity even closer to extinction than we already are. Are we as humans totally suicidal? What could be more dangerous than placing orbiting weapons above our only home, and pointing them straight down at ourselves? Truly, all of us will suffer for the blind stupid ambitions of the stupid, cynical fools and enablers who lead this nation. Sometimes I’m given to wonder if Donald is even a real human being.
5
Gee, and no money to combat global warming, which is a real threat to life.
2
Can we send Pence up to rendezvous with the Musk space Tesla and let him board and ride it until he understands what he says and means?
Maybe we should focus on Earth first before taking on the "final frontier"?
3
There is an old expression from the sixties, "What if they declared a war and nobody showed up?" Well, we will be the only people showing up.
One thing the military might want to do, is not have the largest army base named after a traitor.
"Fort Hood is a U.S. military post located in Killeen, Texas. The post is named after Confederate General John Bell Hood who is best known for commanding the Texas Brigade during the American Civil War."
2
Space force? More like a space farce.
2
This is a ludicrous plan hatched by people lacking fundamental understanding in science. Any battle in space would encircle the Earth in a debris field that would permanently entomb us on this planet.
2
Gosh, I'm tired of having to write my Congresspeople and Senators. They're Democrats, but I still feel the need to tell them how I feel about all of this kind of ridiculous nonsense. Trump, and now Pence, talk about threats to our country coming from space and the need to get this space force (I'm NOT capitalizing it!) going. As far as I can see, the only threat to this country could be well taken care of right here on the ground.
3
The Space Force is one of the dumbest ideas this administration had come up with. Please put your energy into saving our planet from climate change caused by fossil fuel based energy/corporations instead. Common sense.
5
This man sure wants to be president. He's willing to shill for an insane-acting morally bankrupt reality show performer in order to get it. He's either ridiculously stupid selling this miasma of existing programs or going through the motions to do the bidding of someone likely to implode sooner rather than later. I think we all ought to stop and think what we would give up - pride, soul, reputation, morals - to be leader of the free world. Sounds good, that plane after all, no more security lines, but at the end of the day left with an empty shell where a real person used to be.
I like to think most of us would stop short of disappearing into nothingness. Mike Pence clearly has no problem with that. He professes to be a religious person and yet toadies for the least religious person ever in that office. We all should be ashamed for him, as he has no shame left.
Space Force is a movie title not a reality effort. As if the Pentagon didn't have enough to do, now they have to pretend to work on this. I say call George Lucas and JJ Abrams, mock it up and call it a day. Trump won't know the difference.
2
So will the students at the United States Space Force Academy be known as Space Cadets?
1
“We could be deaf, dumb and blind within seconds,” Representative Jim Cooper, Democrat of Tennessee and an advocate of the idea, said in February...
From what I can tell, it’s too late. Most of you in Congress already are.
1
Does this fall into the realm of militarization of space, which is forbidden by the UN since the 1950s? My question is: Why did you decide to do this, Mr. Pence? Did God tell you to do it?
6
"“The time has come to write the next great chapter in the history of our armed forces, to prepare for the next battlefield where America’s best and bravest will be called to deter and defeat a new generation of threats to our people, to our nation,” Mr. Pence told an audience..."
Imagine if Mr. Pence had begun this dawg and pony show with a bullet-point list of previous great chapters of our armed forces:
-
-
-
-
-
&c.
Perhaps it would be good if they figured out how to win something, anything, with airplanes and soldiers before they head off into space and make the universe our enemy...
2
To 2020, and beyond!
You'd figure Pence for a Space Force. As an evangelical Christian, it gets him closer to God.
8
American gun culture .... in space.
Yeah, I have a feeling there will some international pushback.
Just saying
2
I'm not sure anyone else has noticed this, but this simply seems to indicate that this Administration has gone back to "Rebuilding America's Defenses," the "white paper" put out by PNAC (Project for the New American Century) back in 2000. (The same document that gave us the infamous phrase "a new Pearl Harbor"). In that document, this very concept is spelled out quite straightforwardly, and in some detail. You can find the PNAC document here:
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/pdf/RebuildingAmericasDefenses.pdf
This is like a joke gone too far.
Pence is such a fool, proposing fantasy trash to the base, when what we need is serious and competent work to prevent the Putins of the world from corrupting and destroying free and honest communication with their army of paid trolls. But Pence knows the Donald has pretty much doomed himself through his own actions, and Pence is salivating at the prospect of inheriting the position. Imagine, a grifter that the good voters of Indiana rejected becomes the POTUS, unless of course it turns out he too had his fingers in that Russian pie.
What is a "space force?" One would hope there are a few adults who run the country. Apparently not. It's disheartening to watch one white man after another cave in to ignorance and stupidity. Since this country was born, white males have had the opportunity to make this the "great" nation we have been taught that it is. There have been powerful moments, but largely, they have squandered these opportunities. Yes, I believe it is time to let women of any and every race and culture run the country. I want someone like the leader of Iceland to take over.
2
I suggest that the V.P. join the new Space Force as an in-flight missile mechanic.
1
Every time you think this administration cannot get more wasteful and more looney, it does.
9
Trump and his cronies are spending their attention, energy and money on this hair-brained idea; meanwhile our earth is rapidly heating up and science is being rooted out of the Trump administration agency decisions. These buffoons are so short-sighted in their greed that they are hurtling us faster to a melting planet.
5
Their advertised defense against Weapons of Satellite Destruction (WSD's) is, in fact, policy to pursue the militarization of space.
On 13 March 2018, Trump pitched: "Space is a war-fighting domain, just like the land, the air, and the sea". "Just like"?
No war has been fought in space.
Go back to 16 May 2016, when John Bolton wrote in the New York Post "Obama’s shameful apology tour lands in Hiroshima". No apology was given, healing was sought. "Failed hawk" Bolton of the George W debacles should apologize to the American service men and women.
Obama said: "(The dead) ask us to look inward, to take stock of who we are and what we might become."
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/28/world/asia/text-of-president-obamas-s...
On this 73rd anniversary of the bombing of Nagasaki, at Pentagon, VP Pence spouts Trump's "We must have American dominance in space".
"The greatest evil is not now done in those sordid ‘dens of crime’ that Dickens loved to paint…But it is conceived and ordered (moved, seconded, carried, and minuted) in clean, carpeted, warmed, and well-lighted offices, by quiet men with white collars and cut fingernails and smooth-shaven cheeks who do not need to raise their voice."
— C. S. Lewis, author’s preface, 1962, The Screwtape Letters
4
This whole fiasco called the Trump presidency will go down as a low point in American history. The second in command clown Pence, looks so comical, you just can’t make this stuff up. And just like an amusement park, the ride ends at the gift shop with branded goods..........
1
Winning space.
One more ludicrous step for earth and mankind.
6
Just before the Chinese and Russians knocked out the US and NATO GPS satellites, wouldn't Buck Rogers step in to save the day?
1
I suggest the first act of this Star Wars fantasy should be to launch the ego maniac demagogue Trump into outer space.
3
This is like a bad episode of "Veep". I'm sure Trump is only fixated on this because he wants to design the "space force" uniforms: gold lamé with lots of braids and shoulder pads topped off with tall, Russian-style hats. What a fantastic idea to spend billions more on the military and add more to our debt so little Trumpy can play at toy soldiers!
1
Free trips to space? Where do I enlist?
One more clue to confirmation of the rumor that a covert SETI program has in fact detected the approach of a menacing extraterrestrial intelligence.
2
Pardon my stupidity, but how can we initiate a branch of the military for which we have to depend on the enemy to transport our fighting forces to the scene of battle?
2
We already have a space force. It’s called NASA.
1
There already is a "Space Force". It is between Pence's and Trump's ears.
3
Staking out the next frontier for crony capitalism, no doubt.
While the little guy works 3 jobs to make ends meet, millions of working people are still without access to healthcare, kids in this country go hungry, our infrastructure in decline ....Trump and his buddies get in on the ground floor of the industry that would be required to build/support a 'space force'. Nuts
4
This administration has never got a laugh out of me, but I have to admit this does it. Is he a 10 year old boy from the movie "Goonies"? Did Trump miss out on childhood adventures? It's so ridiculous we really need some cartoonists to write a strip. I can't get upset about this its just , way too crazy. Yeah crazier than all the other junk he's done so far. Maybe some space force guards could take Trump up with them on a special mission, oh and yes Pence too. And maybe they get" Lost In Space!"
3
Voting in November! #25A
Trillions of dollars for a tax cut benefiting only the wealthy and corporations. Billions for a useless wall. A stupid march to feed Trump's ego. A tariff war costing the US billions.
Now we have a plan to put special ops troops in space. What will these troops do? March in formation? How? Who can they shoot in space? How do you train soldiers for warfare when they will not have an enemy, just space?
The GOP is neglecting the country and millions of our citizens. Vets are dying from neglect and many are homeless. The cyber war is completely neglected and may just corrupt our elections again. Pelosi is targeted because she has been an effective House leader.
No reasoning whatsoever in the GOP, leaders and rank and file, as if reason itself is the enemy. The state of the union today is obvious to any that can actually read and think critically. Insanity seems to prevail though. The blue wave better hit shore hard.
4
...in a nutshell. Thank you Harold!
2
Put Trump and Pence in a space force rocket and send them into perpetual orbit, never to return. That would be a good use of taxpayer dollars!
7
Our current defense systems do not protect people in school yards and classrooms, yet these geniuses want to fight in space. A billion dollar boondoggle. These kleptocrats just can't get enough. Pence, money is the root of all evil!
4
On this level of militarizing space, Trump is a monster who is betraying the ideals of humanity. I am neither a crackpot nor zealot. Nor do i overstate this particular instance of Trump’s insanity. There can be no rational, emotional, nor moral defense of Donald Trump on the basis of this one militarizing stance alone. Make no mistake we are indeed in a struggle over the soul of America. Are we to be known as a people who set their sights on the stars as a pathway to shared ideals or as fearful people who threaten our own very existence with a limited and narrowly self-seeking view of each other and the world around us.
2
I don't understand this. Is he talking about forming a branch of the military that people actually JOIN??? I have no words.
1
Poor Pence...nothing to do. His boss is using up all the media air space, and he needed a project to shine some light on him in case Trump gets the boot or at least for 2024. Can you imagine if he had to stay home and work at "Honey-Do's"? guess since the administration got so much blowback from
I am surprised that the GOP is crickets on this. First of all, the cost. Aren't Republicans supposed to be the fiscally responsible party? Less government and all that.
Secondly, it would be totally hackable. We haven't even managed to keep Russia out of our earthbound elections and infrastructure...forget spacial communications. What are we going to do -- run a groundline from the Pruitt's secret phone booth to our satellites?
Yes, this is absurd. About as absurd as this administration's other actions. Give these guys some Ritalin and put them down for a nap. They obviously don't have the attention spans to be running an actual government.
Meanwhile, there are children on earth who eat one meal a day, go to rat-infested schools, are hooked into selling drugs on dangerous street-corners. We have a whole territory that still has not recovered from last year's hurricanes, and we are now into another season.
Bet Mikey and Donny have found a designer for the uniforms they will be able to wear...and they could both be generals.
4
Our entire armed forces are useless causing more harm than good. Discharge them all. Then there will be real peace.
3
This is absurd. It shows how out-of-touch Republicans are with the needs of the working people of America and how beholden they are to the military-industrial oligarchs.
3
WHY ? Is this a ploy to further cripple the federal government with debt? Is it a favor for some crony of Trump or Pence? Is it the best idea they can come up with to create jobs? One thing we learned from past space exploration is that you can't do it cheaply. So what compelling reason has suddenly emerged for throwing money into a seemingly non-essential activity? We got more useful scientific data out of the Hubble spacecraft than the Apollo missions.
So we can’t protect on-earth voting booths but can protect in-space satellites. We’re either complicit in the first or delirious regarding the second.
Any Democrat (or Republican) who fails to capitalize on the Trump Space Force is missing a great opportunity at a time when we could all use a good laugh. What are we protecting when the danger comes from within? We're bringing back asbestos; who needs enemies?
We cannot even repair roads and bridges or take care of our people's heath, but we have a blank check for this nonsense. While we waste money in space, our enemies will spend pennies on computer attacks. For now, the Republicans do not care since the Democrats are being hacked, but this could change at any time.
1
"The administration cannot just create a Space Force on its own; it has to go through Congress, where critics abound."
So the NYT thinks that Mattis and Pence will fall in line behind Trump but a Republican congress won't? Fat chance. My money says that the new presidential aircraft is going to be called Space Force One.
1
Pence as the poster child for an army of Space Cadets? Perhaps the change in elevation and lack of atmosphere will give the man some much needed perspective. Up, up and away Mike. The further away you are the better for us here on earth.
5
Space force? Better let Trump and Pence have their space dreams, for now. It’s a pretty good distraction, and may keep them from starting a war or something. I’ll bet those space cadets will look TERRIFIC in their new uniforms; great for those presidential photo ops.
Now, everybody should vote Democratic in the November midterms, so we can take the space toys away before Trump and Pence break something.
2
I'll bet if we taxed the rich the way they were taxed (70%-91%) during Trump's favorite 'America is great' era (1950s/60s), made all Americans (even Betsy 'where's my yacht' DeVos) pay taxes on all their holdings, stopped the trade wars ASAP, stopped paying for Trump's weekly PR golf outings and began charging his children for their Secret Service details on their Trump business trips, we could afford Medicare for all, free community college/state Uni AND a beefed up Air Force Space Command. Yes, they can get their own patch.
3
It seems so silly even having to explain why this idea of a "space force" is total nonsense that, like everything else coming forth from this administration, each new "distraction", as this nutty idea is, dumbs us all down in the process. Should one have to explain that there exists no world power to protect us from? Is it necessary to state that the idea of this nonsense while we try to cut back on basic health care for Americans is the height of immorality? As accusations against Trump increase in severity each day thanks to the Mueller investigation, must one put into writing that anything that will distract from the near total lack of accomplishments over the last 2 years will be thrown at the public seeming out of nowhere? I just cannot write another opinion confirming what we all have know for YEARS which is that there are few people on this planet less capable of fulfilling the duties required of president than the man in the Oval Office today. I doubt that we will ever fully recover as a country for the damage is simply too deep. Perhaps it's the price we all must pay for allowing our system of government to have been corrupted to such an extent that a man like this could be elected president, forever tarnishing the office and diminishing whatever positive role we have heretofore played on the world stage. We are ALL, in fact, diminished by the vileness of this administration and those that support it.
4
Is he so deluded he actually thinks this could possibly happen? Or, is he just trolling us to see our heads explode and spend time distracted from the real issues by this? As and aside, I like the “Mr.” Trump. He is clearly not presidential by any stretch of the imagination and is unworthy of the title, IMHO.
Puerto Rico, investigating election fraud, health care, as well as many other social needs will take a back seat to the Trump Pence Star Wars show.
3
Still not as shameless as ignoring his deeply conservative past to support Trump.
1
Army to defend the US by land,Navy & Marines by sea, Air Force by air. Makes sense. So is the Space Force for aliens other than Mexico & Canada or will they be flying commercial to get the 60% of aliens flying by jet into the country rather than walk into the US? And how will we fund it ,cut back healthcare? Education? Betsy DeVoss already has the Coast Guard protecting her yacht,so yes,cut education . Mr. Pence, you were governor? Would Indiana collect taxes for Space Troopers National Guard? Lord have mercy!
2
There's a Kick Stater Page to build a Death Star. I think they're at around $50,000. I say leave this to the private sector, since they've already come up with a more serious proposal.
2
Money would be better spent ensuring we don’t take our militaristic approach to life into space. For god’s sake, haven’t we started enough wars on Earth?
4
Oh my Lord, are we still watching Star Wars movies?
We have NASA Trump, and vehicles on Mars.
In case you are interested Trump, Harry Potter has just freed the Prisoner of Azkaban.
1
Does anybody remember that old folk fable about the Emperor's new clothes?
1
And the money is coming from ??? Last count the deficit was up 20% in one year. Maybe those large corporations and the rich rich beneficiaries of the tax cut will be be funding this newest craziest yet idea. DO NOT and I repeat do not touch our Medicaid!
1
Pence doesn’t actually believe we need a Space Force to protect us.
All we need is prayer.
1
Who's the enemy? Typical of Trump's appointments. He puts a man stuck in the middle ages in charge of outer space.
1
Unfortunately, in his speech about the military-industrial -complex,(http://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/eisenhower001.asp)
President Eisenhower did not contemplate an infantile, narcissistic, unprincipled successor who would create a whole new way to waste billions, and now perhaps trillions of dollars.
3
“Space Force”. “Be Best.” Diplomacy for the Sesame Street set. Rarely have I been so embarrassed to hear such simplistic words fall from so-called leaders’ mouths. When are we done?
4
Better he focus on this than, say, women’s reproductive rights!
1
This president ignores real problems and creates fake problems so that he can solve them. He ignores the cyber threat against America while pushing a nonsensical space force. Trump and Pence are essentially children playing with Tonka toys.
5
And this expansion of the military and the military budget is important, how?
Instead of expanding the military into space, how about we first expand internet, healthcare, and education into those parts of the country that are underserved, uninsured, and without opportunities.
485
It’s quite remarkable that money can be found to fund imaginary wars of the future. But, there’s no money to be found anywhere for education, health care, or infrastructure.
571
@Nancy
Or social security or medicare, Nancy.
Ridiculous.
1
@Nancy.
I concur with you, while I add that there are people in the United States who have been left hungry &/or homeless to the list.
The reason that there is money to be found to fund imaginary wars of the future, and not to feed the hungry of the present, house the homeless of the present, treat the ill of the present, etc is because those who have proposed the Space Command do not care about the hungry, sick, uninsured, and those less fortunate than themselves, in general.
1
Hey, wait just a G-D minute. We do not need a space force. We need to step back from the nuclear brink. Who are these militarists wishing us toward an Armageddon? We have a peculiarly non-Christian president, and we have a very peculiar (and rather Mennonite) vice president who would steer our country towards a quasi-religious state that is very specifically forbidden by our Constitution.
Let us put these "leaders" wishes on the coolest of the back burners while we sort out our differences. Logically, we might send Mike Pence into outer space where he can talk to his inner gods so he can learn to stop talking about what his god is saying to him. He belongs in space.
3
Future Headline: Space Academy rises from ashes of Trump University.
4
Insane men giddy over more war toys.
This administration is soul draining.
4
I don't know whether to laugh or cry.
3
We won't pay for college for our brightest. We're poisoning the air and water.
We're still torturing livestock in life and death (I eat humanely raised and slaughtered animals).
We're raising costs on consumer goods. Wages are stagnant. The already wealthy investment class gets richer and the US is going to arm space?
I'm sure we're going to see something as pointless, dumber and cruel from this White House tomorrow but to date, this takes today's cake.
6
Since the president is the commander in chief of the military, we should launch him into space to help the recruitment effort, preferably by the end of this week.
5
By the end of 2020? Are there magic beans involved?
2
And I guess "The Wall" will be built too???
Trump is thinking for the future. I mean what are we going to do when the aliens strike without a space force?
3
Throughout going through all of the articles this past week in the New York Times, this specific one peeked the most interest. Our political climate is at an all time high at this very moment and Pence’s proposal for a new branch of the military is very controversial throughout our nation. However, this idea of a space force, is a stupendous idea and thing for our nation to gain.
Through our current five military branches, the United States of America has created the best and strongest force and overall nation in this world. With nations like China and Russia modernizing and creating new weapons that can threaten and be extremely harmful to American satellites, it is no question creating a space force is necessary. As nations are advancing, we must not only advance as well, but we must be superior.
The United States must be prepared with a force to protect our nation in every way possible. If our military is weaponized correctly and properly it could efficiently deter or completely stop ground conflicts with the use of orbital attacks. Other countries could potentially use rockets, missiles, or various other weapons from space to destroy our nation these days. So, this sort of military branch is extremely beneficial to America and our well being to fight others off out in space before they could destruct our land and citizens.
1
So here we go again, another shiny object to catch our attention, while many people still do not have health care, parents and children are still being separated at the border, some are sent away in the middle of a legal court hearing, people struggle to find affordable housing (the list could go on) while people, who should be, are still not being held accountable for all of this. We must not be let ourselves get distracted further from what matters (hence our responsibility)--continuing to educate ourselves for participation in the process, participating in the process at all levels, and then voting in 2020 for people who know the difference between humane, responsible government and inhumane, irresponsible "leadership"--these are the measures that we must focus on!
3
Maybe the advisors meant Cyber Space Force, but they only heard Space Force and are now going for the wrong thing?
1
I Live in Orlando. Close to the home of the present "Space Force" called NASA over in Titusville Fl. where we have been blowing off rockets and sending astronauts on missions since sputnik beat us out the first time we sent stuff up to space. I do not care what one calls the "Space Force" but let us again research and explore our universe and use science and technology to advance mankind rather than detract from it.
7
This is the yet another distraction put forward by the most corrupt administration in history. Also, hows that trillion dollar infrastructure plan coming along?
10
Vulnerability in this country comes from within, from having too much poverty , lack of infrastructures and access to education and healthcare , poor protection of the environment.
We don’t need to make the industrial- military complex richer , this is indeed the purpose of this crazy proposal by the vice president.
Let’s hope common sense will prevail .
5
It seems silly and people love to make fun. But this is a response to other nations that are developing space weaponry. Right now it's not very practical. Its value is symbolism. The message Trump wants to send is that the U.S. is going to be the dominant military power in space as well as on the planet. Russia and China pushed the envelope on this with their hostile intentions against our satellites. Of course lefty appeasers are not in favor of anything that smacks of defending ourselves.
1
Like from cyberwar. We are s Russian satellite.
Yep, just what we need...another bloated military bureaucracy. The Air Force can handle the issue with a dedicated unit. Why do we need to create a Star Trek division when we haven't even landed a man on the moon in more than 40 years?
4
This resembles the pattern known from before by Trump: In lack of any true political vision, any substance, narrative or moral values, one should insert oneself into the symbols of the nation. In their case "the nation" is the GOP base, and their symbols are guns, "greed", God, faith, the flag, the wall, sports, the military, Israel, and now the symbols of american achievements, technology and science: The space programs, like Apollo, NASA and the next stage in space exploration.
And this spearheaded by a man, the VP, who it is abundantly clear lacks the most basic understanding of science.
I cringe when I imagine for myself the visuals of having Trump and Pence there, wherever there will be, on July 20th next year, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the moon landing. Please have these two insults to human intelligence, achievements and noble spirit thrown out of the White House by then!
5
It makes about as much sense for a separate Space Force as it does to have a separate Submarine Force. And how about a separate Army Force for Moutains and another Army Force for deserts.
3
As a matter of fact some countries actually do. For example, the Alpine units of the Italian army is separate from the regular army.
1
More toys in the toy chest...
We should have military investment towards protecting against legitimate threats. In space? - maybe, terrorism and cyber? - definitely. However, these investments should come at the expense of investments where the threat is no longer imminent, for example, conventional warfare.
It doesn't seem like creating a totally new department (vs. a command) is moving in the right direction. I'm guessing that rational minds in the Pentagon will slow walk implementing this crazy Presidential idea and run out the clock.
The US (and many other countries) depend so much on satellites that could be destroyed in moments by an opponent like Russia or China. Consider:
- Russia has its own GLONASS alternative to the US GPS. "Shoot down GPS, who cares?" (Most of the rest of the world, but...)
- So much in the US depends on GPS. Self-driving cars. Services that help you find a sign or lost phone. Ankle monitors that track prisoners. Helping people who can't read a map to find their way.
- Radio networks that transmit signals to their (basically) robot-controlled local radio stations. (Instructions for a national emergency? Sorry, the satellite with that info has been shot down. This station is simply playing dead air.)
Though I don't agree with militarizing space, I do hope we in the US recognize how much we have let ourselves become dependent on satellites that can be vaporized in a few minutes.
In pursuit of admiration and Trump's insatiable lust to be remembered, he touts the MAGA mantra to brainwash Americans. He wants himself to be thought of as "Great". He wants to be called a Saint just as the false idol worshiping Republicans call Reagan, the original purveyor of the "Star Wars Initiative".
3
Sure we can find money for the Space Farce but not for health care.
7
I misread the headline as "Pence advances... Space Farce."
It seemed more plausible even purposeful.
Farce is this administration's specialty, it's where they really succeed.
3
Glad I'm not the only one who keeps seeing space "farce" when I see that phrase in the headlines! Will this be Pence's big claim to fame in the 2020 election?!
2
Just think of how much money can be made filling the vast void of space with war machines.
2
Did my lying eyes deceive me or did this article just say that the "stable genius" in the White House believes an intelligence assessment about threats to our satellites? Is it possible that all his commentary on the intelligence community to date has been just another deception perpetrated against the American people by a con artist?
2
Most probably King Donald has never seen the " Terminator " movies . There the drones and high tech weapons are the Bad Guys, they fight, after all, the last human beings !
If we are so vulnerable, we should be focused on removing systems which create that vulnerability instead of ramping up on new gear.
Hyper modernization is not always a good thing, particularly if it means a hostile party could, say, freeze our communications system, our electric grid, our airports. It amazes me that we create and use systems which are so vulnerable.
It was only a few decades ago when computers connected to the internet or with hackable software didn't exist at all. That method was perfectly workable. Now our elections are vulnerable, but to what advantage? So cable news can learn the results ten minutes after the polls close, instead of waiting 8 hours? This is a perfect example of a bad replacement for a functioning system.
Instead of a space force, we should have a commission for identifying such vulnerabilities and fixing them.
Of course, no gazillionaire donors would likely profit from that process, the way a space force would. As the Republicans trot out this big idea, I'd like to know exactly who will make money from it.
2
This got to be the most important issue of the week. If is not this, I do not know what else can be. Trump wants a space force to be in place for the purpose of protecting from international threats, from Russia and China. Yes, we do need to protect our own mother country, however, a little concern lays here. Just as when President W. Bush took down the Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, it caused major changes, such as ISIS. It caused by the fall of Saddam Hussein in that the central power, the dictatorship, has fallen down, and the people caused an uproar within the country, creating groups like ISIS as mentioned above. My point of view is that I do not want U.S. to interfere with the international affairs because it would be better off by not touching them and I believe in the isolationism where U.S. should stay out of it. It may be better to leave the problems up to their country because we may not know the real cause behind here. We sometimes go for the "Go democracy!" and killing many for no clear reason. It would be better to not upset the community. The space force will only increase the tension between the major countries: U.S., China, and Russia. It may be not the best choice to make this force since we are spending so much on the military already.
Maybe Pence could be our first space cadet , oops just remembered , he already is since he's Trump's number one . Another grandiose idea dreamt up by Trump's ego to distract from his woes . Everybody's children's children will be paying for this fiasco since Trump never pays the bill , he declares bankruptcy .
Really gutsy , for a man who does not believe in science .
1
Day after day we creep closer to mimicking the movie "Idiocracy". There must be a yet undiscovered brain virus spreading across the country with an incubation period of 4 or 8 years. It attacks regions of the brain responsible for logic, impulse control, and empathy.
1
Just another purely political PR move by the king of distraction. Trump even directed the public to his website to vote on a "Space Force" logo. The self-dealing just goes on and on. What's next, a Trump branded exclusive lineup of Space Force Christmas toys?
3
"t" and "p" obviously have been watching too many space movies. Considering the mess our country is in and considering the astronomical deficit we have, this is certainly not the appropriate time to start an Air Farce.
1
Taking into consideration the size of space and the size of its budget, the space farce will be a sparse force.
3
"We could be deaf, dumb and blind within seconds," Representative Jim Cooper ,Democrat of Tennessee, and an advocate of the idea, said in February at a Forum for a strategic and international studies. "Seldom has a great nation been so vulnerable."
I could not agree more in terms of the latter, while I'd been under the impression that Trump's Presidency evidenced that the former had been established .
I wish they fixed cybersecurity first. Too few talented people are going into computer science in general because of outsourcing. The secrets can just get stolen otherwise.
This is virtually an exact copy of Reagan's Star Wars initiative. Very expensive; very unsuccessful. My employment in aerospace in the 1980's was funded entirely by development programs for missile components and miscellaneous classified hardware.
The scare tactics are identical. We're vulnerable; let's spend money, lots and lots of it. Surely we can put up magical shields to protect our satellites and projectiles that can shoot down threats. What came out of it was our present missile defense system which has questionable reliability for shooting down a hypersonic missile. In addition, there were vast numbers of failures, well covered up because of classified status.
Non-experts just can't seem to visualize the nearly impossible task of shooting down a projectile travelling at about 5 times that of a rifle bullet.
Creating a Space Force won't suddenly make that feasible, except as a fanciful vision to feeble non-technical brains like we have leading our government.
Get real! Put the money on infrastructure and healthcare, not on some fanciful vision of a President with a vacuum between his ears.
5
I guess we'll have to find another title to affix to Trumps name; Commander-in-Chief just won't do it anymore. Now it will have to be Space Cadet-in-Chief.
Wasn't there an agreement that we would not weaponize space to get military advantage? Or have we pulled out of that one as well?
1
We were supposed to be on Mars by now, I have been told some 30 years ago. Crafting new banners will not replace the sad facts.
Anything to enhance our military advantage over our enemies is welcomed, but my first question is, how are we gonna pay for it? This administration is all about huge tax cuts for those who really don't need them, in detriment of other urgent needs like updating our infrastructure. Will this Space Force move ahead of the Trump Wall as far as funding in congress? Will Congress allow our debt to keep growing out of control?
1
Just when I was thinking quite highly of Mattis . . . Oh, well.
1
Space Force Veterans - another group of Veterans the country, and the Department of Veterans Affairs can fail.
1
Running out of opportunities to launch new hotels in the US and abroad, he will be NOT paying contractors to go to MARS.
I hope he goes to inspect his property.
The inevitable result of any sort of space "battle" will be a permanent shroud of debris covering the entire planet, traveling at thousands of miles an hour and making any further use of space impossible. Maybe this is why we don't see other spacefaring civilizations; they sealed themselves in too.
1
When anyone in this "administration", or those who support Trump's half-witted initiatives, such as this new military branch, based on "it is getting crowded and adversarial", well, before spending my money, show me some proof. Otherwise, this is a space command for space cadets with Trump in command and Pence as his "Spock".
So much for infrastructure spending on Earth. Forget about the fact that our roads, bridges, dams, hydro-power plants, and all the potholes that need fixing (not to mention the country's educational infrastructure). So let's rush into a brand spanking new poorly thought out Space Force. Like current military spending is under control? Let's blow up the national deficit even more. Trump must be watching too many Star Trek reruns. Let's send more our our tax dollars into space based on the keen observations of a failed real estate developer and his lapdog, all at the expense of the general public. I love the idea that the country that put a man on the moon wants to use space in a positive way. NASA is one of America's great achievements, and I understand the military aspects of space and satellites, but how can you trust this administration not to just throw more money away?
Vice President Pence is a great American who loves and is proud of his country. As soon as President Trump is out of office in 2025, Pence will lead America in her continuing march toward greatness.
this forward-thinking program is also a really smart way to distract us all from the fact that our Consumer habits are destroying the planet. we will NEED a space force lest we all be stuck on a planet that is becoming unliveable due to climate change.
The only original idea Trump has ever possessed is the incarcerating of immigrant toddlers while simultaneously deporting their parents. Therefore, the very idea of a "Space Force" is something clearly only the space industry and its fat cat shareholders want. In fact, I was hoping this article would identify the billionaire who has invested heavily in space technology companies in hopes of harvesting the $8 billion largesse Trump promised him.
The Air Force already performs this mission through an entity called Space Command. As a result, this idea like Trump's "Infrastructure Plan" is already dead on arrival in the US Congress. The irony of, Pence, who possesses the military rank equivalent to that of a warm bucket of spit, announcing a military initiative represents the unity of futility in both message and messenger.
1
Sec Mattis only said he acknowledges the Presidential directive. Congress must provide and appropriate the money--and that will not happen in any form Trump would recognise. Besides, Trump's
attention span will kick out long before then. As far as any advisors pushing for this--they won't be able to push this through Congress, either. We don't need to start a Space Arms Race. Ha! As if Pence can actually do anything. Oh, and by all means let Pence be the 2020 Republican nominee.
"History has proved that peace only comes through strength," Pence claims. Well, history has also proved that war comes through strength.
But what history cannot show us, luckily, is the result of a war when the full strength is being used by two or more superpowers.
Trump is moving the civilization backward while science and technology are moving in a completely different direction. Peace comes from understanding, from justice and equality.
No country can dictate what is justice without creating enemies. What the world needs is a reborn United Nations, a United Nations with real strength and real unity. Because right now the planet needs to be saved, not nuked.
But the United Nations is also an enemy in Trump's eyes, as well as his former allies in Europe. I hope one day a journalist will be able to ask Donald what he really hope to achieve, how he wants our world to be in 5 years, in 20 years. In a hundred years from now.
Remember President Eisenhower’s valedictory speech warning the American Tax Payer to beware of the military-industrial complex taking our national treasure to build systems we do not need that cost way too much. If you thought an aircraft carrier, nuclear submarine or F22 were pricey just wait. The cost of SpaceForce would be off the charts.
2
The primary purpose of the Space Force will be to gain the ability to kill other countries' satellites and spaceships, not protect our own. The best defense is a good offense. Where we are, we wage war.
Another bone thrown to the military industrial complex to ensure a continuing multi-billion dollar income stream. Eisenhower was right.
2
Space force? Where is the budget coming from? Current administration is already spending hundreds of billions on the military while our country is getting obese and diabetic, and can't afford healthcare anymore.
Who is behind pushing for this agenda? Current GOP and its administration are just becoming puppets for the wealthy and the powerful in this world.
Trillions of dollars cuts cuts to the rich, cutting rules and regulations for pollution by the energy companies, constant attempts of repeal and replace Affordable Care Act without any real solutions to 22 million uninsured, and that's just the tip of the iceberg!
2
" ...the next great chapter in the history of our armed forces, to prepare for the next battlefield where America’s best and bravest will be called to deter and defeat a new generation of threats to our people, to our nation...”
It's simply staggering how much money the U.S spends and feels needs even more to defend and protect its people and nation from...again.
Yet none of these threats have actually eventuated in anything close to direct harm occurring to nation and people and the only "deterrence and defeating " conducted by America since WW2 is to make things worse, kill more people (both American but mostly the people of other nations that never attacked America or gave intent to do so) and led to no Victory for America in any real sense, just vast destruction and misery for millions.
Meanwhile, the greatest threats and the most actual harm besetting so many Americans and the Nation as a whole ( such as increasing poverty, less prosperity and financial security, growing inequality, opioid epidemic, shrinking middle class, less people protected by Health Care, deteriorating infrastructure, climate change and disaster relief...to name just a few) are not being addressed, losing budget support and not being focused on with any priority at all.
If the VP and Congress really want to defend and protect the People and Nation effectively and get results mitigating all the REAL threats affecting people today and now...
...creating a Space Force will not help at all.
2
Climate change is the number one threat with global scale. Satellite data for tracking the climate are critical, but that’s aspect of space activity Trump wants to cut.
Cyber security for the 2018 election - and the power grid - are real threats, right now, that can be addressed with a fraction of the cost of a single moonshot.
National security is impaired and at further risk until we have a government that knows the difference between a real threat and a bogeyman.
1
The need is FAR more urgent to get Cyber defense right and yet we seem to only come up with cyber offense as an option... is that really what we're going to be doing in space?
This idea could result in engagements that would result in end of the world as we know it now. This idea will drive the lawyer dominated U.S. government further into bankruptcy.
When are we going to prepare for and fight the big battle here on earth, us against the destructive forces of our changing climate?
Mr. Mattis, our earth is becoming a war-contested domain, and we have to adapt to that reality.
Mr. Jim Cooper, seldom, (if ever), has this great planet been so vulnerable.
It is important to read this article in historical context. The notion of having a Space Force goes back about four decades. You may recall the "Star Wars" program (Strategic Defense Initiative, or "SDI") that was wide ranging in its militarization of space, either through placing offenses/defenses in space or developing tools to control the space environment (e.g., ground-based lasers). This program began in about 1983, and arguably still exists today under other names. Around the same time, the "U.S. Space Command" (Air Force Space Command (AFSPC)) began. AFSPC is, in fact, our Space Force, and has been since around 1982. One has to wonder what we are witnessing today. It's hard to not be cynical, but it appears that Trump wants this, he didn't know we already had it, no one will push back, they will roll it out as if it were his idea, they will hand it to the Air Force to operate, and the Air Force will simply change the name on the stationary from "AFSPC" to "Space Force." I would be interested in the NYT doing an in-depth study of the history and current status of our space forces, which likely includes a great many parts of the U.S. government.
1
Send troops to space will not solve our domestic problems in healthcare, education, crumbling structures, and inequality. It is not the time to invest in real estate in space.
2
Yes, danger is already coming at us from a new frontier - cyber warfare - but it won't require the munitions to be built that will inflate Trump's jobs numbers like a space force would (US jobs are currently slated for a 2.6 million job loss due to Trump's tariffs according to the Republican CEO of the US Chamber of Commerce).
1
First we need to clean up campaign finance and tort law. Then we need to invest in education, health care, infrastructure, internet access. Those are the keys to a peaceful universe.
2
The U.S Air Force has a 30,000 space force personnel already on the job. George Bush created the wasteful Home land security bureaucracy . Those services they do were already being done by all 5 of our military branches. The GOP just love to spend money on more military items in the budget and forget the social needs and health care needs of the rest of the Americans. To let Trump get his parade in November is really not needed we know we are the best military in the world but the money should be used to fix our falling apart bridges. GOP out of touch on many plans.
1
Another really well-thought out policy concept, like the border wall and the trade war. Space is very, very important to DoD, and they don't want this, it just complicates their problems. It's just for political consumption by the base. I must say, too, that Pence's gift for sycophancy is truly exceptional even in a profession and even in a party noted for its ability and willingness to buss nether parts with loud smacking of lips. I'll be surprised if he isn't guilty as sin on Russia and obstruction, even though he came into the game late. With any luck, we'll get rid of him and Trump both at the same time. The thing is, once that Space Force exists, it will never be gotten rid of. DoD will just have to figure out how to make the best of it.
We have every reason to be concerned about an arms race in space, but the US should be taking a leadership role in forging a peaceful future up/out there, not igniting an overt call to arms. Use the Air Force and NASA to continue protecting our vital interests, but otherwise, take a cue from George Takei, who tweeted the following: "Space is the future of humanity. Its peaceful and cooperative exploration is a gift we can give generations to come. Thousands of years of war and strife have been our species' earthly legacy. Let us not weaponize the heavens."
The concept of a Space Force has been around for more than a decade. In 2009, George Friedman's book The Next 100 Years was published. At least one chapter is dedicated to the hypothesis that China will start constructing a base on the moon for military purposes. I can't remember all the details, but I do remember thinking that it sounded crazy at the time. However, the entire book is an interesting insight to (what was considered at the time) a right wing think tanks view of the future. This also included predictions about other geopolitical changes.
In the July issue of Wired magazine there is an article titled The Outer Limits of War by Garrett M. Graff which starts by recounting the events of January 11, 2007 when China launched a satellite destroying missile which successfully hit its target - an aging Chinese weather satellite in low Earth orbit, 500 miles above the Earth. As the article indicates, "this was a stupendous technological achievement - to launch a missile from the ground and hit a celestial target moving as fast as 17,000 mph."
The article also mentions, as in this one, that society is now extremely reliant on GPS - a technology that extends beyond maps, into our mobile and banking systems. The implications of China's actions are very worrying.
I am no fan of 45 - can't stand the man - but in this instance, I can understand the motivation.
China is a trading partner with the United States.
It makes no sense for either nation to want war with the other.
Trump is doing what G. W. Bush did: ramping up imaginary fears about an external enemy to distract from the GOP's rape of the American economy.
1
Do NOT militarize space...oh my god, what this administration and the republican party are doing..Not one decision in the right direction. Not a single one..
6
Sarcasm tells me DOD needs an opponent they can claim to fight and eventually defeat. After all it's been 17 years and we are still stuck in the Afghanistan quagmire, so lets take on something that is a sure victory. Really it would be good if we could finish that situation on the ground and not spend more resources on yet another headquarters or command. Besides, I thought DOD was concerned with the readiness of the forces to include equipment and training. DOD is notorious for spending vast sums of money and - and one big way to divert funding from warfighting functions and readiness is to create yet more commands and headquarters. Just look at how DOD has grown over the past decade. I suspect we have more major HQ and General/Flag Officers than we had during the cold war, while the active duty forces have been cut about 50% since 1970. For $700 bil the US should be able to tackle space related issues with current structures and personnel.
1
It's as if Mike Pence and the members of the Trump team are rehearsing for the premiere show release of a newly planned space odyssey by them to complete the unfinished task of weaponising the space and militarising the ground below.
Is Trump referring to outer space, or the space between his ears?
17
An article on the mechanics of why blowing up an adversary's orbital satellites is an excellent way to bring one's own down as well would be welcome. Nothing like a few million pieces of high speed shrapnel punching holes through everything in its orbital path.
11
Oh my, just what we need. Government funding, our tax dollars, to fund a pipe dream. I've had it. pastor pence is a doofus.
12
Build that Space Force!
And the Klingons will pay for it!
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@M. Hogan
I rarely laugh out loud anymore. Thank you so much!
1
An utterly useless expenditure of funds, by an equally useless vice president.
13
Let's get Spock and Kirk on board....actually, Trump wants a spaceship named after him I'm sure. In the end no "positive" accomplishment will drown out the historical screams of caged children, the immigrants shipped back to be murdered, the American citizens whose health care is being ripped from them, and.....and...and....
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Clearly, this administration wants no aliens of any kind to violate our borders.
Perhaps this administration should first focus on space(s) like Puerto Rico, cages holding children at our border and the barren vacuums between the ears of our feckless VP and POTUS.
6
The "God of War", Mars, made it's closest approach to us in 15 years. It is called the "Red Planet". That reminds me of the "Red" Republicans.
1
@Shakinspear: And it's been a beautiful sight for many nights this summer, along with Saturn, Jupiter, and Venus. The Red Repubs, not so much.
Pork in space! What a great idea. And, considering all the space cadets spilling out of the Trump White House, there should be no problem with recruitment.
3
Mike Pence can be the chaplain for the Space Command, with an off-world posting. That way he can be be one step closer to Heaven.
10
Space Force?
To militarize outer space?
Words fail.
8
So, who is militarizing "space?" The Chinese? Ludicrous.
3
The USA can always find more money for military projects, even one as imbecilic as this one.
What happened to the money for Trump's tremendous replacement for Obamacare? Or for his tremendous infrastructure plan?
9
I highly disagree with the formation of a Space Force. Has the United States suffered from amnesia? We signed the Outer Space Treaty--along with 106 other countries of NATO--way back in the 60s. If we are bound by this treaty (and at least a smidgeon of moral obligation to make humankind MORE peaceful as the years go by) then what's the point of making a militarized branch in space?
The Air Force already has a space-related wing. Increasing funding to this is something I agree to, because that is a defensive move intent on protecting our satellites from hostile powers. Donald, please do not start a Space Force. I don't want to enter adulthood knowing that a war on a completely new front can happen at any moment.
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@Matt Kristoffersen Well, we did sign NAFTA, NATO, and countless other accords, agreements, and treaties... I don’t think the past matters much anymore with this White House.
1
Didn't Ronald Reagan try this?
2
How nuts can Spence and Trump be? How about working on global warming, infrastructure, better health care at affordable prices. And better education for all students. And more and better wild fire protection. Better transportation systems. I'm 85 and have never seen such a low level of thinking from this administration. Big big talkers with nothing in their brains.
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@Joan S. I can guarantee this is nothing but a very large scam to get a lot of federal dollars into the pockets of very large corporations who support Trump and also to beef up the positions of certain politicians who's districts would prosper from the investment. Nothing useful will come from it.
What about the Outer Space Treaty to which the USA is a party? It prohibits weapons in space
6
I think Pence is just trying to find at least one place that he cannot hear the sneers he earns for his adoring dishrag act with Trump.
4
testing the "presidential" look, as it looks as If Trump might throw in the towel.
2
Warning: This is a distraction.
Focus on 45's problems with his five deferments, lack of disclosure of tax returns, his stinky in Helsinki, numerous entanglements and assistance from Russians, his two extramarital affairs with Melania, Michael Cohen and more.
9
I wonder if Mr. Pence realized that to get to space you sorta need to believe in science...
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@Kent R I'm not sure how they're expecting to even get up to space now. All that's on the board right now are 2 commercial craft by Spacex and Boeing. I can't see relying upon those vehicles for military purposes.
1
Maybe Mr. Pence could be our first Space Cadet.
7
Oy vay. With all our infrastructure needs, inability to stem climate change, our lack of affordable health care, the porous cyber shield in our election framework...and this is how my tax dollars are going to be spent? Heaven help us from these cockamamie knuckle heads.
5
This is astonishingly stupid. It’s like we have Homer Simpson’s evil twin as President. One can only wonder what his next “big idea” will be. Meanwhile no resources have yet been applied to real-world security risks, like protecting our power grid and defending our elections during an immediate attack. It would all add up to the the grandest farce in history if the potential consequences were not so dire. November cannot come soon enough.
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This Trump-inspired experiment in nonsense won't succeed. Besides, I thought Mr. Trump was supposed to "drain the swamp," not increase it.
2
Space Force?
Republicans don’t like our extant space force because NASA believes in global warming.
5
Trump goes first, and Pence can pray for him. What a brainless idea! When will this distraction-a-day presidency be over?
5
This coming from a man who doesn’t believe in science — denies evolution and climate change. Let’s send Pence on a one way trip to outer space!
8
Can we send trump to mars to set up a command post?
6
So will the troops be based on the moon or Mars?
4
Another way to take food out our mouths.
What a waste.
2
What a joke. This administration is simply out of this world. Maybe they can all load into a space rocket and fly out into space.
3
Please tell me our President isn’t into alien conspiracies on top of all his other nutter ideas!! Does he think he needs to protect the Earth from the Daleks or Klingons? Jeez, Trump, worry about stopping climate change instead of ET!
1
Seriously? Like we don't have enough real problems on earth to solve before blowing away billions in outer space.
2
"May the Farce be with you!"
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You should make a batch of tee shirts and banners with that slogan, "May the Farce be With You." Perhaps protestors waving their Farce signs can match into the Capitol building, and harangue and shame a Congress of GOP weaklings. I can see a TV series called "Space Patrol." Maybe Law-and-Order creator Dick Wolfe can portray the internal struggles of space police as they attempt to impose space law on out-of-orbit satellites and unruly meteors. Once military space police catch their space preps, space prosecutors would take them to military space court. Meanwhile, these aero-agents would fall in love, battle personal vices, jockey for the best space beats.
Of course, none of this is funny. But until a Congress of so-called debt hawks learns to stop sucking up to Trump and train their efforts on alleviating immediate, terrestrial needs, we can joke, or we can cry. Or we can do both.
2
Does Pence even believe in 'Space'?
6
yet another line of defense against aliens, and Mexico will pay for it, too! <<< sardonic comment
1
Suit Trump up and send him immediately.
4
Trump wants to brag that he has bigger toys than Putin and Kim.
Period.
4
Get Mexico to pay for that folly too.
2
Power still not fully restored in Puerto Rico.
Water still not fully restored in Flint.
But we have money for defense contractors.
Only surprise is that they don't have all of it yet.
27
Ah yes, another potential gigantic addition to the already record $21 TRILLION dollar deficit which if the American voters are dumb enough to re-elect this government in the mid-terms, as an excuse to cut the deficit, kiss goodbye to your social security, medicare, medicaid and any other social safety net item that Republicans deem not worthy.
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It may make sense to establish a satellite command than space force. Air Force controls the space between the earth and the exosphere. The only objects outside the exosphere of interest in warfare are satellites. The only purpose of calling it space force is for political sound bites to show that Republicans are not cowards fighting only mothers and babies on the border.
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@Kodali If the GOP really possessed courage wouldn't they direct our forces against the gangs of Central America? Wouldn't Truman have done so? How about Ike? Maybe Trump is milking this issue for his political gain. Maybe he doesn't want to solve the problem.
1
@Kodali
"The only objects outside the exosphere of interest in warfare are satellites." Have you not seen the 1996 movie, Mars Attacks!? Think that's fiction?
At least while Trump is focusing on Space Wars, he can't be fomenting actual terrestrial ones against the likes of Iran, Venezuela and, when the mood has struck, North Korea. Dreaming up a Space Force makes Trump feel tough. It's an extension of his border wall, his military parade, his tweeted bellicose threats and his vaunted manhood. He doesn't need to actually act on any of these virtual proposals, these grandiose, astronomically expensive and physically prohibitive projects. A virtual force is just as good as a concrete entity, and the virtual ones can't flop, which would be a virtual certainty for the real thing.
1
Sheer idiocy. Because the $717 billion we spend annually on defense on earth isn't enough.
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@Phillip K You know, when you put the idea of creating a new Space Force in those terms it does seem rather foolish. Do you think Don and Mike have any idea how much we’re already spending on defense every year? Phil, I’ll bet if they knew, they’d change their tune.
$717,000,000,000 is good bit of money.
1
The USA already spends far, far more on defense than any other nation. We own more weaponry than any peaceful nation can ever possibly justify. Nuclear aircraft carriers and submarines, stealth bombers, ICBMs, nuclear weapons, WMD’s, etc., etc., etc.
Unless we plan to declare Washington D.C. the capital of The American Planetary Empire, what is the point of spending more trillions of dollars on weapons?
Stop it!
18
There is no problem in debating the idea--we do need to keep a separate command from being formed by fiat. There are reasons to be skeptical, in spite of the usual dire warnings of various politicians: https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2018/06/29/not-so-fast-o... ("Not so fast on a space force," June 2018). That article by Michael O'Hanlon makes several points, including:
1. We don't have a separate submarine force. Just because space is geographically distinct does not prove the need.
2. We tried to do this in 2002, and ended up merging space with Strategic Command. Maybe we need to revisit some of those arguments.
3. Some suggest we should split the Air Force to do this. The arguments, so far, do not appear that sound. The Air Force already deals with a lot of technology issues--why the rush to separation. Would a new service really be better. A new department will never be the panacea some suggest.
4. Would a separate department be able to protect vulnerable space operations any better by separating those operations from the Air Force? By creating another administrative body? There are quite a few operational problems (such as the lack of breathable air in space) that will need to be overcome.
There has been a denigration of scientific evidence and expertise by this administration. They should be forced to account for their assertions about the value of a separate department.
7
We could have Medicare for All, for the cost of this space program.
18
The United States government can't protect it's governmental agencies, it's corporations, it's citizens, or its electoral process from cyber attacks by the Chinese, the Russians, the Koreans, and who know how many other counties, but now we're going to put together a "Space Force"!
How far is this country going to let that bratty little Richie Rich in the White House destroy or country and its economy?
34
When I first heard of Trump's Space Force I'd assumed this was more of the usual craziness. My bad, as apparently there's some history to this idea, and it's not all crazy. The following article provides some context:
https://www.wired.com/story/new-arms-race-threatening-to-explode-in-space/
2
Thanks for providing this reference to the article in WIRED magazine. I agree that it provides useful context to this latest proposal for a "Space Force", and I second your recommendation of it. Whatever one's immediate reaction to this idea of the militarization of outer space - attraction or repulsion - reading this article will inform one's position. I doubt that most readers realize how close the U.S. is to fighting a war in space. It would be good for citizens to be aware of this, for a variety of reasons.
I have to admit, my first reaction was, "This in addition to the 700 billion that was just allocated to the Defense budget? It's too much!" In fact, I sympathize with those who lament that the US tends to cry poor when faced with moral challenges - meeting our obligations to our veterans, housing the homeless, etc. - yet always finds funding for war. At least I have some idea now of some of our space-based military concerns.
1
@Robert Tortorelli There may be some rationale for this, or something similar.
However, when Trump puts his name to something, I dread that good money will be spent badly, and the outcome will not be what we expected. Remember his business failings, and he is a grand businessman.
1
NO NO NO!!!! We spend way too much on our military and defense now. We need well-paid child care workers and aides for the elderly. Not more soldiers. Surely Congress will come to its senses and quash this idea pronto.
29
If we don't start addressing the problem of climate change right now we won't have anything left to defend here on earth.
22
Pence is now sticking to his Higher Calling and propose to create a Space Force. aren't we lucky to have two almighty clowns as our leader? let's assume the new Space Force can strike the Enemy 90% with a blink of eye yet we might suffer the damage 50%, it is Victory. what a Math genius we have and I bet Trump will agree with this Math.
7
The space force will be paid for with profits from the green cheese mines on the moon and the mercury mines on mercury.
6
This is insanity personified. The country is falling apart. Poverty rampant. Infrastructure non-existant. Mass transportation non-existant. The ecosystem one huge catastrophe. And the military industrial complex will get fatter.
And Major Kong will ride his rocket to eternity.
F3
12
I think we face a far greater danger here on Earth from Russian cyber attacks. Let’s focus on that.
7
Do these people really believe money will just fall out of space to fund all of their crack pot schemes? A trillion dollar tax cut for billionaires? Increased defense spending the Pentagon claims it doesn't need? A military in space??? BUT..... Universal health care? Can't afford it. Being able to give our young people an education that won't put them into debt for the remainder of their lives? Can't afford it. The question is when will some semblance of sanity return to politics in this country?
16
A good place to start would be by ending US dependence on Russia as source of rocket engines for a large fraction of our space launches. It's not at all clear we could come with a suitable substitute engine, in the event we needed to replace satellites now in orbit.
Very worrisome indeed. Also, the situation adds a bit of a twist (and not a good one) to placing economic sanctions on Russia for poisoning people in Britain, interfering with our elections or whatever.
Our dependence on Russia for something as essential as rocket engines is not the fault of Mr. Trump. It is a problem he inherited.
2
Militarization of space. Swell! Ranks right up there with former President Obama's proposal to establish a national police force fully on par with the military. That too was a brilliant idea put forth to please the voting base.
2
While the administration makes plans to spend billions on space wars and walls, we will all be literally in the dark when one of the frenemies attacks The Power Grid...
12
Did they mention which "space" they are trying to defend?
3
Mr. Pence, looking very much spaced-out, declared that the US goal is to dominate the space.
11
Space Force? I think Mr. Pence and Mr. Trump are confused. Somebody needs to tell them that the Klingons and the Romulans and the Borg are fictional aliens, and the Martians did not invade us in 1938; we don't really have any enemies out in space. Perhaps if we could convince them of this truth (a dubious proposition, I admit), they'll drop their ridiculous scheme.
4
Great. Trump's busy making a mess of Earth and The Church Lady is talking about invading heaven.
23
I just had a nightmare that Donald Trump was elected president and wants to create a "Space Force." (Is this really happening, or am I having the longest nightmare of my life?)
29
"Space is a contested war-fighting domain, and we have to adapt to that reality.” - Another great quote from the Age of Trump
3
Trump desperately wants to go back to when the space race was a thing, when segregation was lawful, when sexual harassment was commonplace, when coal and steel producing cities were still doing well, and when globalization was not eminent.
Instead of wasting effort on a Space Force, can someone just build the man a time machine and sequester him back in the 1950s where he belongs? It's no secret that's what he is referencing with "Make America Great Again."
Actually, send Mike Pence along with him too. He'd be happier there as well.
46
Once again liberals prove that they either do not understand how the real world works or are too scared to face reality and prepare for the next generation of warfare. The Chinese and Russians are developing space based weapons. All modern weapons rely on GPS, which just happens to be controlled by satellites in space, not in the ocean. Knock out our GPS capabilities and we are shooting off Estes rockets.
7
@Jon Galt. Jon, The military already has resources working on these issues. This is not new. Reagon set up a department inthe air force. I have friends working on these issues already, and over tge last 28 years.
@Jon Galt, please make the case that this needs to be a separate force.
The USAF can’t perform this function?
Oh, good. As long as we don't waste any money on health, education, or welfare.
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My problem with a space branch is the person who they want to lead it. Mike Pence is one of our least scientifically knowledgeable officials. Chosen some one like him to head is assuring it will be a disaster
3
Will the new branch of the military come with more tax cuts for corporations to pay for it? Seems reasonable.
6
@captjcook It will be contracted out to a new venture headed by Prince Jared. It well be known as "Space Warfare, Inc-a subsidiary of Trump Border Wall, LLC.
Both ideas are not ready for prime time.
Seems like we can address the threat of anti satellite weapons without having to create a separate branch of the armed forces. The space force sounds like were sending soldiers in space suits into orbit which doesn't pass the laugh test. The last thing we need is to start an arms race in space.
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@Kurtis E
I'm laughing so hard over this idea that I'm on the floor rolling about to burst.
1
A $1,500,000,000,000 deficit, and a $100 billion more coming in tax cuts, and our traitor and chief creates a new branch of the military. I guess to pay for it look out people on Medicare and Social Security. Remember the boondoggle of Reagan's "Star Wars", that was mere pennies of waste, compared to this.
And they call Democrats "tax and spend"? We can call Republicans "spend and print". So much fro "fiscal responsibility".
When the next recession hits, there will be nothing to deal with "too big to fail", as the Us government will be bankrupt. The US Dollar will be replaced by the Chinese Renminbi as the world currency of choice.
Of course, if the US begins arming space, so will China, Russia, the EU, North Korea, Japan, Pakistan and India (all whom have successfully launched missiles). A new arms race, in space, coupled with one on the ground. Move the hands, on the Doomsday Clock to mere seconds to midnight. "Failsafe" o0r "Dr. Strangelove" anyone?
At least Pence shows that he is the assistant moron to the moron and traitor in chief.
15
And we can pay for the Space Force with.....more tax cuts for the rich.
Thank you, Pastor Pence.
You can go back to the asylum now.
114
Although I can see Pence and Trumps want to have a space branch added to the military, I do not think it is necessary. It could cost a bunch of money that many people today do not have. People today barely get by with the money they have after taxes, paying back loans, and other financial needs. We the people cannot afford this branch. If this branch were to happen, more money would be needed from the people. The money the government receives should be put to help fix our land, people, and environment, not a hypothetical scenario. Today needs to be the worry, not the past nor future. If it is a big worry for Pence and Trump, the other military branches can look into expanding their knowledge of other fields. We as a country should grow together, not split. We need to focus on the changes that need to made where their is people suffering.
12
Just more money for defense spending and the fact that probably Trump plans on extracting money for access to GPS services and needs to to be ready when the rest of the world threatens to shoot down our GPS satellites. Or, it could be Trump plans to put a Trump tower on Mars and needs a (space) force to protect the shuttle service he and Musk plan on constructing.
1
A space force is never going to fly with Air Force or Navy aviators and it can't be done against their resistance, active and passive. But if Trump is really going to push for the idea, he might as well go big and promise Mexico will pay for it, too.
7
Space Farce, in which the Trump administration sets out a plan to put Americans’ tax dollars as from from the possibility of doing good as possible.
21
"Only" $8 billion for five years? How much after that? Like Republicans always ask progressives when they advocate for Medicare for All, tuition-free college, paid parental leave and subsidized childcare, "How you gonna pay for it, Mr. Pence?"
7
No doubt Trump and his cronies are seeing dollar signs and means of potential profit. It's nothing about "protecting", especially considering that we don't own space.
17
It is easy to see what is really going on - Pence needs to up his cred and visibility since Trump can go down in flames at any time, with Mueller on him, the Dems about to take over the House, and if then of course the 2020 election. The establishment Republicans want to have plan B in place and Pence is it. So they roll out some things that make him look presidential, like this bit of misdirection. Trump doesn't really care about the idea, is my guess, since it does not get his base all fired up. So he fobs it off on to Pence.
4
Many commenters are referencing Star Wars or Buck Rodgers. I think that Trump intends something more in the line of Jerry Pournelle's Co-dominium Terra. In the CDT, Americans and Russians unite to conquer outer space and, it goes without saying, rule the lesser peoples of earth.
8
@Marvant Duhon
Yes, now everything makes perfect sense. Thank you!
5
I just watched our Vice President extol the benefits of a new Space Force in the little video clip from his speech today. And all I could think of was Galaxy Quest. Just saying...
6
@Karen A.
I get flashbacks to Moon Base Alpha as well as Galaxy Quest. Trump and Pence Lost in Space.
Wonderful. Just what the world needs. For years we have contended with a nuclear arms race. Now our true-thinker Vice President thinks it is wise to have a weapons race in space. I suppose with his narrow evangelical religious beliefs, he thinks the sooner the better when it comes to Armageddon. The faster we rid ourselves of the current administration, the better!
4
I think it would be a very good idea if Pence took a trip to Mars to explore the Space Force's potential there. I would eagerly pay more in taxes to help him complete this mission.
52
@A2er: excellent proposal; and the other thing in the WH should accompany - they both should get a really good long look at Mars - unless of course the ship's programming goes awry and catapults them on to other galaxies. Since they don't believe in science, they won't be expecting anyone down here to figure out how to get them back any time soon. Brilliant!
2
Hmm. "'Trump's space dreams" were met by "initially reluctant Pentagon officials", but Pence says it's, "An idea whose time has come". Make that an 8 billion dollar 'idea".
I'm hoping it's never an 8 billion dollar reality. Trump isn't big on reality- all those annoying facts, but it's another shiny object for his adoring fans. "Space dreams all the way!"
Pretty much says it all.
9
Let's do what Trump does. Let's "give" him his Space Force. Tell him we're winning Space. Tell him he just has to wait and see. It's coming. By the time he actually looks for it, he'll be out of office and hopefully somewhere where he can't hurt anyone anymore.
5
So Flint still has lead filled water and American Citizens in Puerto Rico STILL have a non-functioning infrastructure.. but sure, let's give lots and lots of money to the already corrupt and greedy Defense Industry.. VOTE IN NOVEMBER and VOTE to stop this waste of our Taxpayer Dollars.
11
If the defense people got together with the intelligence people maybe we'd get what we really need. A cyber defense force.
18
there will be designer uni's for the populace to buy as well, another boost for the American clothing industry.
2
@sly creek Indeed. I remember well the fiasco in getting uniforms for the TSA. And that president at the time was far more sane than Trump.
Just what humankind needs to do, waste more money, fuel, and pump more CO2 into the atmosphere for no good reason. It's just lunacy.
16
I read a science magazine article over thirty years ago that described how a nuclear detonation high above in space could destroy all electronics in the nation with it's characteristic Electromagnetic Pulse or what is known as an EMP attack, but that doesn't worry me as much as the potential for widespread arson if Laser Satellites are placed in space. I view that as a greater danger than the loss of electronics.
For years, I feared the terror the American military poses with nuclear weapons, not only against adversaries, but against our own nation in the event of any uprising. What I am writing is that there is absolutely no chance that a revolt could ever succeed here in our nation. The Republican military government, being so since our uncivil war, played their game very well to place them in a position of absolute power by dominating what is now a monopoly Republican government, backed by the military whose loyalty and allegiance was bought with spending bills for years ballooned by Republicans, and the carefully cultivated power of the gun owners.
Now we have to be concerned about any revolt which they seem determined to instigate politically. We could be burned.
Timing is everything. Republican leaders in the White House and Congress have commandeered the government and now promise to own the Judicial branch as well.
Don't revolt. Simply prepare to leave fellow slaves. The wall is also meant to keep us in. We are nuclear hostages.
3
@Shakinspear
And what would become of our nation once abandoned by smart peaceful people which would then be inhabited by a warmongering population? Prepare to leave. This is not our fight. Imagine a Republican nation without us slaves to support it. I lead you with my mighty pen, my spear, my staff.
When the US entered the “space race”, international treaties were made pledging politics and warfare ended at the atmosphere.
I think some folks in Washington have been watching too many bad Space Operas lately, and are out to destroy the last place we might cooperate for the benefit of humanity.
22
Weaponizing space would be disastrously expensive, unproductive, and contrary to decades of precedent policies that have worked.
Look at those brothers. They think the contraption can fly.
That McDonald's guy. He thinks people will go out to buy hamburgers.
Yeah, I can understand microfiche. But how much more can you condense. What's a floppy disc anyway.
2
According to the all-knowing Pence, this new military branch is needed due to a space environment that is “crowded and adversarial.” The only space truly fitting that definition lies between the ears of the president. A true black hole.
5
Too funny about GPS satellites. Although originated, developed and owned by the U.S., it's used worldwide with U.S. permission. And if knocked by a capable aggressor, China, India, the EU and Russia have also placed GPS systems in orbit. We'd have to be at war with almost 80% of the world to lose that capability.
Of course, with Trump one never knows...
8
---I'm getting tired of all of my complaining. Ultimately, I'd like to contribute to improving the state of our nation.After much hard thought...all that I can come up with, after months of dwelling on all of these investigations, seeming corruption, division, infighting, apparent blatant attempts to subvert certain basic principles of our republic... I mean, I wanna do something patriotic, something meaningful. Something American.
I'm enlisting in...
SPACE FORCE!!!
7
The Trump Administration sure knows how to spend tax payers money on vanity projects.
The Military Parade, The Wall and now Space Force (sorry the last sounds like a punchline)
7
If there’s to be another branch of the military it should be cyber forces. I don’t see much happening in space, but cyberspace sure feels dangerous. Then again if all our security agencies are wrong and Russia is not attacking us, maybe space is the place to be.
4
@David Evanston
It should be off the table for everyone.
Full stop.
Hey, in those Star Wars movies, they blow up planets.
If anything, the idea could be to build something, but not for military use.
But that is what NASA does.
There certainly are enough Space Cadets these days, eager to serve, to fully staff such a force for years to come.
31
But given the other news of the day, one has to wonder, does Mattis really support it?
Officials hold separate and opposing views to Trump behind his back.
4
If nothing else, the modern Republican Party is dependable. You can depend upon it that they will run up insuperable debt to fund miserable programs that sow confusion and mayhem, but plead poverty to avoid the spending that we need -- on infrastructure, education, apprenticeships, and a green-energy transformation of the economy. These measures, if funded, would not only help millions of Americans but more than pay for themselves over time. Republicans, of course, are hostile. They want to ramp up military and prison spending, offend everyone in sight, start bogus trade wars, pollute our environment for the sake of profits, and deprive most of us of health care. To gain votes for these outrages, they pander to racists.
As I say, you can depend upon Republicans in the modern-era to do the wrong thing every time.
15
I once read of a world-wide agreement that space would be free of armament and military conflict.
Then the world promptly militarized space to carry our paranoia and jealousies outward towards the universe.
Shame on all mankind.
BUT, a separate Space Force is not necessary. The current military complex has done a successful job of making the "Star Wars" Initiative a reality. Otherwise, Russia and China would not be building satellite killers.
1
Like the leader of a wolf pack, as an analogy, the one of strength, is always challenged by many others. The same holds true for us. The Republicans are inviting war.
Strength Through PEACE.
4
I think I'm missing something here. Weapons in space? It's been so long since I heard any mention of a U.S. space program in any context that I'd almost forgotten we had one. Or do we? Is it not ironic, not to mention dangerous, that we currently rely on the Russian technology to transport U.S. astronauts to and from the International Space Station? And now to hear of it in the context preparing for "Star Wars"! How about first getting our own "shuttle"or equivalent back into operation and at least achieving "space independence."
5
The US is a signatory to the Outer Space Treaty, which states (Article IV):"The Moon and other celestial bodies shall be used by all States Parties to the Treaty exclusively for peaceful purposes. The establishment of military bases, installations and fortifications, the testing of any type of weapons and the conduct of military manoeuvres on celestial bodies shall be forbidden."
10
@Bonnie: Nice, but did you ever think that Trump may be planning on breaking that Treaty? Just add this to list of treaties and agreement he has broken or threatened to break.
3
What would that branch's parade look like I wonder?
And with absolutely no attention given to his "big deal infrastructure promises" a couple of years ago, I wonder if the weight of big rockets and giant satellites would break the asphalt on Pennsylvania Avenue?
Can you even march in space suits?
This childish man gets sicker everyday. Buy him some Legos and stick him in a corner til November 6, and then let's get some real work done.
8
“We could be deaf, dumb and blind within seconds,” Representative Jim Cooper, Democrat of Tennessee and an advocate of the idea, said in February at a forum at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “Seldom has a great nation been so vulnerable.”
You know something maroons many of us said as much when you were so busy throwing away the analog and physical systems that would work just fine if satellites went down. I suppose you will protect us with all the money made by allowing the physical wires and systems fall into disrepair.
2
Space force = cartoonish legacy of this administration. What was Mattis promised for his support?
5
Just what we need: a guy who literally believes the universe was created in 6 days 10,000 years ago to speak up and support anything STEM related.
"... What is more, they say, Russia and China are developing antisatellite weapons that could pose a threat to American satellites. ..."
Why does Russia need antisatellite weapons when it is much simpler and cheaper for Putin to simply summon our president to Helsinki to command his puppet to implement Russia's agenda?
25
Finally, someone is addressing the problem of the Martian invasion.
19
This Hoosier suggests we shoot Pence into space and save the planet. And our Democracy.
85
Amen to that!
2
Sounds great. Ever wider scope for endless continuous warfare, our national obsession. I think the Martians are hiding WMD somewhere out there.
9
I, as an Air Force captain, was the second manager of a classified Air Force weather satellite ground system installed near Saigon in 1965. My tour was June 1966-67. It provided essential targeting information on North Vietnamese assets, at a time before “all weather capability” was developed a few years later that made use of lasers and GPS. The Air Force managed to keep the weather satellite capability hidden for five years from Its major rival, the US Navy. Actually, the Air Force weather satellite was developed to support spy satellites that used film. You can read all about it at www.nro.gov.
1
I knew it , I knew it, little green bugey eyed aliens did land at Area 51 afterall. Pence and trump both of whom never served in the military are going to become the Guardians of the Galaxy. We can't even win a war on the ground in Afghanistan. This is a total waste of taxpayer money that we do not have. Maybe trump can get the Martians to pay for it.
24
Great. No doubt the next WH announcement will be a tariff on all green cheese imported from the moon.
13
These are not the Russia-campaign connections you're looking for.
7
How do we know we can blow up the earth 100 times over unless we try?
15
@Brad Science.
This administration is a bunch of space cadets anyway. They might as well have the force be with them.
6
This illegitimate administration should NOT be allowed to cost us taxpayers ANYTHING until all issues of legitimacy are resolved.
10
Yea we must protect our way of life. Got to protect those satellites becaue what would happen if we couldn't see the White House reality show ... 21 trillion in debt, No Healthcare, No Infrastructure, No money for the natural disasters due to global warming that are happening all the time, No money for education, unless it's private .. Income gap and murder rate equivalent to a third world nation. That 700 billion plus the defense industry gets this year just not enough. I guess we're bored with bombing the Middle East to rubble. There's plenty of things in space to blow up. .. I wish Michael Rennie & Klaatu would come and give us the ultimatum...
20
Well Pence is a good choice to promote a space force. I have always thought of him as a spacey guy--but the spaciest president of all time is Trump--his entire brain is devoted to nothing but himself.
Actually, I fear this is a ploy by the GOP and right-wing government haters to spend the U.S. Treasury dry. Look how much money the Trump & the GOP can't wait to waste--that stupid billions of dollars Wall, which if Trump and the GOP stay in office much longer may serve to keep Americans in rather than Mexicans out. Then there are Trump's secret service costs and Air Force One costs to get to his golf clubs each weekend.
And, with the Republicans in charge, of course, this will be a military venture in outer space requiring all kinds of government funding for outer space technology and weapons of mass destruction. Pro-life, my foot!
Whoops, no money left for people or protecting the earth. Looks like the EPA, government regulatory agencies, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are on the chopping block.
Anyone who still thinks of Republicans as fiscally responsible and conservative is spaced out of their mind.
Can we send Trump, Pence, and the Trump cabinet on the inaugural flight to outer space on a one-way ticket?
43
@PB Thanks PB - I thoroughly enjoyed that!
Perhaps Mother Pence can be in charge...
5
I bet they will have to wear silver uniforms and carry ray guns as side arms.
Teally, Trump just wants a silver suit and a ray gun.
7
@Abraham: Why silver? I thought gold was Trump's favorite color.
1
Just more money for defense contracts. Yay.
7
Weaponizing space would be disastrously expensive, unproductive, and contrary to decades of precedent policies that have worked. It also appeals to the abjectly stupid voters who thrill to conspiracy theories and TV shows about alien abductions. So of course the worst president of the modern era wants to do it.
24
Trump/GOP is in favor of armed force ; killing people is fine with them. Food for people; health care for people; Science; the Environment; not at all. Vote out GOP for people. Ray Sipe
9
Interesting for an administration that is anti science.
48
The notion of a U.S. Space Force is so misleading. There will not be people flying X-Wings in space shooting at one another. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big Star Wars and Star Trek fan, but that isn't how things work. Physics doesn't allow for what you see on the big screen. So politicians say we need to protect our satellites? They are correct. How do they propose to do this. The U.S. already has antisatellite missiles. Do they want anti-antisatellite missiles? We can barely knock down missiles much closer to the surface of the Earth. Essentially the Trump administration is asking for something that already exists because he thinks it sounds cool, and so does his dumb base.
238
@Max Deitenbeck
Maybe Trump read about a space force in some comic book. He really is like a small child apparently.
1
@Max Deitenbeck And I am sure his corporate friends want to get those government contracts.
Trump said about this: At first I wasn't really serious about it. Then I thought, 'What a great idea. Maybe we should do it.' Now, you've got to admit, that's certainly a sound rationale for how to spend tens of billions of our dollars to patrol some orbiting satellites and a pile of space trash.
I like these people. They think ahead. They're preparing for a possible future war that doesn't exist. They only accidentally forgot about a definite future not-a-war that will consist of broken bridge, spreading diseases, the shrunken middle class, the fires and hurricanes and tornadoes and coastal flooding and torrential rains flooding inland areas where millions of Americans live and where our crops grow -- this is only the U.S. part, since that's all these people notice.
24
They had better get busy designing spiffy new uniforms, writing an anthem and organizing a band in time to march in Donald's big parade.
5
I still don't understand why a whole 'nother branch of the military is needed to do this. It's like creating a new VA just for soldiers shot in the foot.
2
As someone who has spent his life in the aerospace industry all I can say is what? Either trump and his lap dog just got done watching a Buck Rogers marathon or this is a cynical attempt to feed the military industrial complex. I think it’s the former as neither of them have a very good grasp on reality.
33
Hey Buck Rogers!
Maybe we should concentrate on securing our infrastructure, power grid, voting and transportation systems before we waste money in space and beyond. Some of the funds could come from the proposed military parade that Trump wants in order to massage his ego.
Btw, whatever happened to repeal and replace...oh what was it?
8
And, Mr. Vice President, where does the funding come from? Do you plan to increase the debt beyond the $1 trillion already projected or should Medicare and Social Security beneficiaries plan on cuts now? I realize that the GOP Congress charges and spends with total freedom now, but it sure would be nice to know before Election Day.
P.S. If you tell us not to worry, try again.
7
I've got and idea: build a beautiful wall in space to keep out the Mexican satellites.
12
I am not that concerned. This ''space force'' is only going to last about 2 years - when Democrats take over and reverse all of the damage that this administration has done.
- Or until one of the tens of thousands of space debris crashes into another creating a change reaction (and tens of millions of particles) that will make low orbit completely unnavigable.
Think about that the next time you look up.
6
Make Space Great Again!
5
It's less about the message, than,the messengers, Trump, and now Pence.
I'm waiting for the names Darth Vader; Ming the Merciless; Princess Ardala; the Klingons and the Cylons to be dropped somewhere and at some point.
5
Personally, I have higher priorities:
* An educational system where all who graduate from high school can write a basic essay and do basic math problems
* Free career/technical training for folks not going to college
* Free first two years of college for those who go and "grants" to help those in need finish their bachelor's degree
* A nation where health care is provided for all who need it in a reasonable and equitable way and no one loses a life's savings because of medical care
* A world where no one goes hungry or is homeless
* A society educated to celebrate diversity to ensure the betterment of all humankind.
* A society where military style assault weapons are banned for use by civilians
*Clean water for every creature on the planet
*Clean air for every creature on the planet
* A society that teaches and rewards compassion, kindness, acceptance, and joy
*An election system free from the influence of big money
*A government truly for and represented by all people
....oh, I'm just getting started.
46
Horrific, Vice-President Pence's outing at the Pentagon today, advancing President Trump's demented initiative of a United States Space Command -- an outer space military force. Pence proclaimed with gumption, "Peace only comes through strength!". We heard that canard before, Folks, from the Germans' propaganda, "Kraft durch Freude" in World War II -- "Strength through Joy!". And our president tweeted his Veep's effort with "Space Force all the way!". We are living in the insane unreality of this Republican administration which has gobsmacked all reasonable human beings in America today. The president's space force idea is almost as nutty as his huge fruitcake of a great big military parade on Pennsylvania Avenue (marching before Trump Hotel) in remembrance of the 1OOth Anniversary of Armistice Day, 1918. Space Force and a Banana Republic military parade in November? Hopefully, not bloody likely. (Or, as Trump tweeted this afternoon, "stay tuned!")
3
Well Bless his heart.
6
I'd say Oh, Goody, we're updating Reagan's "Star Wars" defense initiative, but Pence is such a dweeb that the square-jaw Reagan look just doesn't work.
Can he really believe this is going to propel him into the Presidency?
6
Just what the USA needs ... a "Space Force"!
The rest of the world is laughing its head off. The USA can't even provide proper health care, housing or education, to say nothing of the school shootings and planet-wide war mongering.
Yes - great move Donald!
10
Well, the possibility of someone attacking satellites either physically or electronically is certainly well within the reach of our contemporary world (Could be some 400lb. guy in his basement). Knocking out communications for a populous that has become ever more dependent on such systems would be devastating for many.
Please, can we come up with another name besides Space Force? Something like "The Satellite Corps", might work. Then a slogan like "First to space to fight" might bring in some recruits. No matter what you think, the threat is real. If not right now, it will be in the future (If we get there).
A hint for the iGens and all the Gens: If you don't have a land line, get one. If you don't know what short wave is, learn (Hint: It is not a wave you shouldn't have taken while surfing). You will still be able to communicate with the outside world. It's not quite twitter.RAW
2
How about "Space Oddity"? Because everyone who knows anything about space, the USAF, the Defense department, or has a modicum of common sense, knows this a costly, redundant boodoggle.
Wonder what investments Trump has in it for his personal benefit?
6
Pure madness. We can't even provide lead-free water to Flint, affordable college for our children and health insurance to our citizens and now this, a space arms race? We spend over seven hundred billion dollars a years on military expenditures, more than the next seven countries combined, and now this? This country has lost it's freaken mind.
10
Space Force!
Sounds like a Saturday morning kids' cartoon of about "The Jetsons" era. Maybe a little later.
So of course, it appeals to Trump.
12
What?! V-P Cardboard speaks of a Space Force and does not quote 2 Kings 2:11? "They kept talking as they walked on; then suddenly a chariot of fire pulled by horses of fire came between them, and Elijah was taken up to heaven by a whirlwind."
How can Mike Pence be sure that God wants us to have a Space Force?
There is the sin of presumption. He'd better pray on it.
9
Pence figures that a Space Force is his way into the Heavens...
2
Aside from the truly fantastic expense Pence is fantasizing about, while also fantasizing about slicing off social security, medicare, medicare, food stamps and section 8, past the short hairs, and then cutting taxes again (not for you), the speech is all alone and by itself the handkerchief dropping at an UN announced backroad drag race into space with the most and most powerful weapons we can, or China can, or Russia can, because everyone knows the battle goes to whoever gets there the firstest with the mostest.
And then Jesus will come back. And we won't have to worry about global warming.
4
This kind of crazy from Pence is exactly why we should consider whether impeaching Trump is a good idea.
7
I would suggest to you, that Mr Trump's alacrity with the Space Force idea suggests that he honestly feels the new Force will help enormously in his administrations' tireless fight to reduce the vast influx of illegal "Aliens" into the US. MIB....MIB....MIB....MIB. I'm wrong right....?
7
Given that our military leaders/the Pentagon say it is not necessary, that it would just add another layer of red tape, and that it would include many of the duties now done by the air force, this would be a foolish, colossal waste of money and government (ie public) resources.
If we are honest, we would see that this is simply about mr. trump wanting 'credit' for Space Force. Imagine how that would sound at his endless rallies. Ooooohhhh.
4
Vice President Roger Ramjet reporting for duty, President Trump.
12
Can we hire Buck Rogers or Han Solo to run it? I mean sure, we need to modernize, but I'd rather use a fraction of a percentage that we will flush down the toilet on this on feeding, housing and educating people. And then with the countless billions leftover, build a legitimate passenger rail system and fix healthcare. And then maybe host a raffle for all the extra money we will still have. Oh and VP Pence, Peace comes through brains way before strength.
5
Oh, for Pete's SAKE! The rabbit hole beckons, more so every day.
7
China has been working day and night stealing our intellectual property to design and military solution to end America’s lead in deep space.
Bravo Trump!
This administration cannot even stop gun violence in a small neighborhood in Chicago, but they want to police space, are we serious here.
17
If over 50 years ago, we had leaders who would of foresaw military interventions, as mostly fatal, including Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq, we could of spent the money on a single Payer health care system eliminating 8 separate government bureaucracies, and cutting the costs by doing this. The system would be fashioned after the one in Switzerland, per person, sliding fee schedule according to income. But no, we are bogged down in death, debt, and war, in the middle east, and now the stupid idea of a Space Force. Anyone who wants that is so ignorant, in that we can't pay for all the government we currently have, and have promised to over 100 million people in the next 25 years.
9
“The time has come to write the next great chapter in the history of our armed forces, to prepare for the next battlefield where America’s best and bravest will be called to deter and defeat a new generation of threats to our people, to our nation,”
This Pence speech about war and domination and battlefields does not seem to be the word of a peaceful, Christian man.
4
After we've completely spoiled the planet Earth some will be able to make a safe getaway.
2
Que Admiral Ackbar, Luke Skywalker and The Force.
2
Why does no one, including the New York Times, mention the fact that we already have a Space Command. The Air Force Space Command was founded in 1982, its mission is its mission is to "Provide resilient and affordable Space and Cyberspace capabilities for the Joint Force and the Nation." As a result, AFSPC's activities make the space domain reliable to United States warfighters (i.e., combat forces personnel) by assuring their access to space.
The Space Command was the subject of a 60 Minutes News segment on CBS in April 2015. When speaking with 60 Minutes reporter David Martin, commanding General John E. Hyten was not able to respond to many of the questions, claiming the information was classified but that the program was doing its part in keeping the global world of GPS satellites and other important global satellite usage peaceful. ...Wikipedia
11
I'm sure the military complex and all the Halliburtons' love the idea. More money down the rabbit hole.
11
Is this going to be “so easy” like the wonderful health insurance we’re supposedly all getting and waiting for?
This admin is a horror show.
11
With Russia deeply embedded in our national infrastructure, Mike “Six” Pence should be focusing his boss’s attention on the (failing and daily-growing) wreck that America has become on Earth.
I wouldn’t trust any Pence proposition. Under Donald Trump’s direction, this “space force” would be utilized for every evil that he could devise. And I don’t trust this rubber-stamp of a Capitol Hill delegation to put the interests of American citizens first. Who would get rich off this? Trump. Pence. Bolton. McConnell. Ryan. Scalise. McCarthy. Gowdy. Nunes. Graham. Cornyn.
That’s who.
4
Didn't the other celebrity President want something similar? Something about space? Or weapons in space?
7
This has nothing to do with space or defense etc.
Pence is attempting to look presidential!
5
I believe the key word here is force.
2
If the Administration and the Congressional GOP thought climate change was real, they might take some of that infinite military budget to create or enlarge response forces to deal with floods, hurricanes, fires, and their consequences. But in this Republican Party, actual Americans are usually left stranded. America first?
7
How can you feel anything but total cynicism, suspicion and lack of confidence about a space force plan coming from VP Pence? Is this a man in an administration that has given a strong ear to what scientists have to say. Whatever merit exists in the urgency to address the world of global positioning satellite or ground based systems, the worst politicians I can imagine to address such an issue are with the new Republican Party.
And lest we forget, it was Reagan who, 25 years ago, announced the Strategic Defense Initiative which numerous scientists in and out of the military, expressed great skepticism.
7
In the meantime, back on earth, nobody in the Trump administration, especially not the President himself, mention anything about the problems we have with a planet that obviously can't stand us anymore.
9
There is some merit to at least explore the feasibility of a small force. But Pence and the administration had to take the "WE MUST DOMINATE" position. No we don't.
5
Another $8 billion in national debt? We can't yet determine the impacts of their great tax cut. I recognize the dependence we have on satellites, etc. so too other nations. Anyone with a cell phone can use GPS. Shoot them down, then what, pocket compasses?
This technology is as vital as our power grid, just like our adversaries grids. Simply make it clear interference with these things will be considered an overt act of war and we will respond accordingly.. just as I assume our adversaries would. There, $8 billion saved.
2
If we pitched the idea to Trump of allocating 8 billion to pay teachers more and funding public education, but give it a flashy name like Learning Force, do you think he would go for it?
16
@Ken Quinney
Not a chance Ken, education is a Liberal plot to undermine "real" Americans.
The Pentagon will do anything to get even more money to waste. Their attitude is: make sure you spend all the money Congress allocates, and always ask for more money. Once you have a budget, they won't be able to cut the budget. Or, if they do, it won't hurt as much.
That's how it works, and that's why everyone is on board now. Mattis had a few moments of integrity, then somebody said, for heaven's sake, Mad Dog, grab the money.
I just love how we're trying to cut government costs to pay off our debt.
There's plenty of fat to cut at the Pentagon. WaPo did a big investigation into it a couple of years ago. Just Google it, read it yourself. Like everything else, WaPo has a paywall now, so I don't know if the report will be available. But, it will be easy to find other discussions on the $125 billion in waste the Pentagon buried. They could have easily funded this $8 billion program by shifting resources around within the Pentagon.
I'll guess we'll just have to finance this by cutting stuff like the food stamps program.
7
The militarization of space defies the previous cooperative efforts of space exploration that has involved cooperation with Russia and other nations. Now we can look forward to weapons in space. What do we do when Russia and China and perhaps even North Korea have their nuclear-armed missiles sitting in a geosynchronous orbit directly over the U.S.? We need a U.N.. not a U.S., space force not one that will immeasurably escalate the risk of nuclear annihilation. And who is going to pay for this when the country could use that money down here on earth to repair our outdated and deteriorated infrastructure and keep our environment clean for human survival? Now is not the time for Star Wars; it's time for the promised high-speed rail system, improved airports, bridges and roads. Let's stop the silliness and start being serious and save planet earth before we have to evacuate it.
4
I support funding this idea contingent on one condition: they send an exploratory rocket (1 way) into space manned by Capt. Trump, with 1st Lieutenant Pence behind him. Just for good measure, the entire cabinet can go along for support. Then I'll really feel safe. Whew!
15
The Joint Chiefs of Staff and top brass at the Pentagon KNOW that this "Space Force" is a pure propaganda play (not to mention a giant sinkhole for billions of our tax dollars if this insane proposal ever gets off the ground).
The Air Force already has the 50th Space Wing headquartered at Schriever AFB near Colorado Springs which tracks all satellites and space debris. Nearby NORAD also "watches the skies" for signs of hostile intent from beyond our atmosphere.
Yes, the Russians and Chinese have tinkered with weapons systems targeted at satellites. But our military has been very active in this same area - testing both rockets and lasers mounted on high-altitude aircraft which could also destroy "hostile" satellites.
And as many of us recall, Ronnie Raygun wasted tens of billions on so-called "Star Wars" technology. Some of the videos released for public consumption to demonstrate progress with this technology were later proven to be rigged to look spectacularly successful to the untrained eye - but were totally bogus.
And the majority of anti-ballistic missile tests ("hitting a bullet with a bullet") have been utter failures. The technology just isn't mature yet.
So the last thing our battered budget needs is another Buck Rogers P. R. stunt. Meanwhile, existing research (in all sorts of budgetary and bureaucratic "black holes") is proceeding as rapidly as the technology will permit. Area 51 is a real place where aerospace weapons research has been ongoing for 50 years.
5
56 years ago the President of the United States said
"Whether it will become a force for good or ill depends on man, and only if the United States occupies a position of pre-eminence can we help decide whether this new ocean will be a sea of peace or a new terrifying theater of war."
If we choose to create this new force, then we will have decided to become a lesser nation not a greater one and all of humanity will be lessened by it.
8
Rule 1 Anything can be hacked.
Rule 2 If it hasn't been hacked, it will be hacked.
Rule 3 If you're not hacking, you're being hacked.
Rule 4 aAmost everything has already been hacked by someone.
Now, seriously, Russia and China are engaged in establishing their own GPS systems, recognizing that the US takes advantage of signals management in both cellular tech and in GPS in conflict zones. It is unfortunate that our capabilities in signals intercepts have been revealed and are now being actively evaded.
So Star Trek/Buck Rogers fantasies of a space force are fine, but they are not a true defense of our country.
The best defense we need to mount is the one that no one knows about. A little more chess-like game might suit us just fine.
Thanks, Sun Tzu!
4
Right. That's certainly high my list of my family's needs. Still waiting for that "cheaper, better health insurance that covers everybody."
17
@abigail49
It's amazing that Americans have no money to solve their main life safety issues such as global warming or universal healthcare however you have trillions of dollars to militarize space.
Trump would say, sad.
s
2
Sign me up for the Space Academy! I've always wanted to follow in the footsteps of Tom Corbett, Space Cadet.
3
Of all the priorities (enedemic poverty, mass shootings, income inequality, police violence, etc.) is this even remotely comparable? Is it worth spending time and taxpayer dollars on?
4
Bottom line from this: Pence/Trump want more money for the military for more weapons, 8 Billion more dollars to be exact. How they came up with this number is beyond me, since there are no real plans yet, right? And Defense Secretary Mattis is now behind it? Of course he's behind getting 8 Billion more dollars in his budget. And we're doing this for security reasons? Guess reforms in healthcare, Russia hacking, infrastructure, education, immigration, environmental issues (and the list goes on) do not fall into that category. AND this "Makes America Great Again"? Congress, stay clear of this idea!
6
“Peace through strength.”
Does anyone else find Pence’s statement Orwellian?
Suppression and chaos through America’s continuing insistence upon military strong-arm-style dominance, more like.
5
This is another distraction from the Mueller investigation. Trump can't manage a thing here on Earth, so he wants to play - yes - Rocket Man.
15
@Deb Pascoe
In competition with the one Trump dubbed "Little Rocket Man", Trump will be "Bigliest Rocket Man".
Trump di8dn't like getting played by Kim Jong Un.
1
I doubt this administration could create a lemonade stand let alone a space branch of the military. I think most Americans and people in other countries would rather see cooperative ventures like the International space station instead of militarizing space.
13
I have two questions about the Space Force:
1) When will the people of Flint, Michigan get a water source that they can confidently and safely drink, bathe in and cook with?
2) When will the people of Puerto Rico get consistent electrical power and the level of post disaster support usually accorded American citizens?
36
How about just getting our actual and potential adversaries to promise not to attack our space assets? Something similar to Kim's and Putin's pledges to Trump that they aren't doing x or won't do y and our president buys in, tweeting success, problem solved.
1
Mike Pence, the evangelist, feels the moral obligation to justify his salary to the taxpayers or, at least, his existence.
4
trump: "Pence needs a job. He has absolutely nothing to do, let him spend billions of dollars."
GOP: "Tax the poor and middle class, and spend it on the Billionaires'...
7
You'd think that a one trillion dollar deficit was no big deal. Going for two are they?
4
And the students at the to-be-built Space Academy will be known as Space Cadets. Seems appropriate.
3
Militarizing space was a horrible idea back in the Reagan administration. But it is an even more dangerous idea when pushed by a religious zealot like Mr. Pence, with his world view that his god (the right god!) will miraculously protect him. The combination of modern technology and fundamentalist religion is a prescription for the quick end of civilization, and much of life on earth.
5
Wouldn't all this money be better spent on a cyber force capable of preventing a Trump from ever happening again?
18
Leave it to this country to attempt to militarize space. There is so much exploration and wonder, but the powerful in America have a tiny imagination that only allows for war and money.
7
SPACE COMMAND as in Tactical Air Command or Strategic Air Command... "military command structures".
There is strong and almost unanimous opposition to weaponization of space has been expressed in the United Nations Conference on Disarmament. China and Russia have drafted text for a treaty to ban space weapons. The United States, however, has refused to enter negotiations on such a treaty.
The Outer Space Treaty entered into effect in October 1967. It is the second "nonarmament" treaty (the first being the Antarctic Treaty of 1961). There is no expiration date.
The first three articles of the treaty set general principles for the use of space; the rest of the articles are intended to guide the behavior of treaty parties.
You cannot simultaneously prevent and prepare for war. Albert Einstein
6
Many people are saying that Starfleet Command is the principal service responsible for interstellar defense.
To quote Wikipedia, "Starfleet is a service maintained by the United Federation of Planets ("the Federation") as the principal means for conducting deep-space exploration, research, defense, peacekeeping, and diplomacy."
As the United Federation of Planets won't be founded until the year 2161, which is longer than a short period of time, may I suggest the $8,000,000,000.00 Mr. Pence suggests we spend on his premature "space force" instead be used for more immediate needs, such as locating and reuniting the 700 families separated at the southern border?
8
We need Healthcare-for-all before any Space Force.
How is the Space Force fiscally responsible? Why is it a better use of funds than protecting Americans from a collapsing and unaffordable healthcare system?
Why do we need a Space Force when Republicans vote down money for securing U.S. elections from interference by a hostile power?
What a colossal waste of money.
313
There is some merit here in the thought that tech in space is vunerable. However I believe the need belongs more to a "Cyber Force" than a"Space Force". Things such as our power grids are much more vulnerable to attack and seriously incapicating the country.
Having said that, I can also see the need for a relatively small unit equipped to operate in space. There may come a time when important repairs are needed, rescues are required, or, even the possibility of having to deal with a rogue asteroid. Tomorrow? No. By 2020, probably not. But in the future, yes. To me, 2028 is a reasonable goal, perhaps an Air Force Wing with a handful of craft capable of flying into space, returning and carrying a crew or payload.
4
There already is the unit you are referring to: the 20,000 people rich Air Force Space Command - created in 1982 and headquartered at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado.
Motto: ""Guardians of the High Frontier"
2
Good to know. But if it's been around since 1982, shouldn't it actually be in space? Seems to me that's 20,000 people not being used very effectively.
Apart from the Buck Rogers cess of the whole thing, it makes sense to focus attention on space, for the reasons proponents claim: our earthborn military assets are too exposed to machinations by China, Russia and even others from space.
However, Mattis was originally right about wanting to avoid adding “additional organizational and administrative tail to the military.” More than sixty years ago, Ike, first as the Army Chief of Staff then as president, argued for removing service distinctions from our military – putting them all in the same uniform while maintaining specialized training. Like Nixon with China, he really was the only person who swung enough weight to make the idea salable. And he tried hard, but failed, up against the combined interests of all the services that wished to remain independent of one another.
And now we want to create yet another of these monsters.
Time to resuscitate Ike’s idea about a single uniform, and fold this new “Space Command” into it, avoiding Mattis’s “organizational and administrative tail”.
2
If all the monies the world's nations spend on military defense could be used to make the world cleaner, safer, healthier and happier, think how much better our lives would be.
Peace, love and understanding beats war, disease and poverty every day.
46
@Ronny
But if they cannot have more than you or I how will we all know how much better than us they are?
1
@Ronny not to mention all the money we'd still have leftover even after we did all that!!
1
If, and it's a big IF, Congress approves the creation of a space force, it will not be Trump's space force. It will be the United States Space Force. Or whatever. Trump's minions have already referred to it as "his space force." That alone is enough to say no.
48
@Vanessa Hall I think to some extent this is because nobody wants to take credit for this stupidity. The US already spends more on defense than the next seven countries combined. Pence is calling for a budget of 8 billion dollars to create a branch of the military that no other country in the world has. To put that into context, the annual NIH budget is about 37 billion dollars. I'm perfectly fine calling this stupid waste of money Trumps Space force, just like the wall will be Trumps Wall. I don't want ownership of these monuments to human stupidity.
@Vanessa Hall, he has himself referred to "my generals," "my military," and even "my government." He said he wants "my people to sit up straight" when he talks, as the Korean dictator's do. He believes that he owns the nation, and as a result of its brute power, the world. If he hasn't thought of putting his name in huge letters on the moon for all the earth to admire, I'd be surprised. It's just a matter of time.
So the administration that whined and complained about the supposed lack of resources being supplied to the existing military commands is going to create a new military command that takes resources away from the existing fighting forces? Yep, takes a real stable genius to come up with such plans! Not to mention the futility of using spaced-based weapons to protect communication and spy operations that are jeopardized first and foremost by ground based weapons and hacks. . . .
17
This sounds like another great opportunity to spend huge sums of money on military contractors. If the US really wants to create a new force to combat modern threats, it seems a new "US Cyber Force" would make a lot more sense and address a much greater threat.
But of course, this would be much, much cheaper and the money would go to former hackers with laptops, rather than to campaign contributors.
13
The Air Force already has something like that.
I guess we are not, as a nation, far enough in debt yet, let's spend some more borrowed money on outlandish idea of "Space Farce".
54
We need to protect ourselves from ourselves, first.
Meaning, we are quickly trashing our only habitable home. Forget the politics. Look at the science. The trends are daunting and now we want to discover new ways to be violent against each other. From space!?
Where is the money going to come from? The Kochs, or Waltons, or Mercers, or Trump Industries?
Lower taxes and higher deficits. Wake me up from this nightmare, please.
17
Suggesting that the US needs to assert its dominance in space is just ludicrous. Pretty much everyone with a working brain has seen how well militarizing has worked here on earth. Exporting it into space would clearly be as brilliant an idea as any other from this administration.
Seen from a different planet or point in space many light-years from us, I'm betting we look pretty silly, hardly a species deserving of existence. The sooner earth encounters a giant meteor or astroid the better.
17
@Charles Sager
You could be right, I have it based on good authority that "Klaatu" and "Gort" are on the way.
How about making a serious commitment to fight the real cyberwar that Trump, Pence and Co. choose to ignore.
17
...and the gravy train to the defense contracting continues. Make no mistake, this proposal has very little to do with the security of the country, and everything to do with insuring government dollars flow ever more to a bloated defense industry and the pockets of those who run those industries.
108
@Daset
And gives Trump an excuse to slash NASA which is full of pesky scientists ("civilians") who do not actually report directly to the Commandant-in-Chief, unlike the branches of the military who do...
1
Cyber force is more important than a space force at this moment. These people must stop watching Moonraker.
10
Not professing to be 100% correct, but I thought we had entered into an agreement in the 70s or 80s with Russia and the UK to not ever militarize space. I would appreciate clarification on this. Surely sounds like that is the US plan. Help!
10
This farce should do a great job at increasing the national debt. And to think the Republicans once stood for balancing the budget.
7
We need to leave all of our warmonger mindset on this planet. If we are to survive as a species we need to ensure that space exploration is peaceful and scientifically based. Leave the weapons, leave the religions, leave all the things that make us lesser, behind. We need to evolve beyond what we are, or we'll never survive.
12
i do not believe a man who walked on water would be interested in Pence/Trump space/Spoof Force. The need is not there, all these MIC proponents doing is to provide more scared resources to inhumane projects. We need the money right here on this planet and not in outside space. The Pentagon has problem account for misappropriation on this earth, now we need to track in outer space.
17
We don't need a sixth branch of the military and, with it, five more interfaces between branches. But we do need attention to our increasing reliance upon satellites. Why not give this duty to a branch that already works on cyber-security to guard our national infrastructure?
Oh yeah, I forgot, we're not really working on that.
34
how about we treat professionals with a deference, not a defense
1
All we hear in the news is how our secrets are compromised and how our technology is stolen. This may be an idea whose time has come, that is up for debate, but the time for our most important secrets and technology, our edge if you will, needs to be secure and safe. That is how you keep America safe. I would hate to see all of the tax dollars this will cost in development alone to be overshadowed by the headline "China steals US space force technology."
2
A Space Force . . .
Because we can't waste taxpayer dollars on the least fortunate and those in need among us.
They don't own military tech and weapons systems development firms.
23
The effort should be focused on a global treaty to keep space a war free zone not opening a new military frontier.
21
@Lee We are a party to the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, that forms the basis of international space law. The treaty was opened for signature in the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union on 27 January 1967, and entered into force on 10 October 1967. As of April 2018, 107 countries are parties to the treaty, while another 23 have signed the treaty but have not completed ratification.
14
@JF
Yes, the Outer Space Treaty. This man is opening a dangerous new frontier. Next, he'll want military bases in Antarctica.
1
@JF
Yep, we are. But you know, treaty schmeaty. Trump apparently thinks that treaties are for losers. (The Paris Accord, the Iran Nuclear deal, NAFTA...)
Will we ever be able to rebuild our credibility??
OMG so much comic material and so little space to capture it all in as I am working with 1500 characters only for the comment section.
Out of tribute to the classic movie, Fantastic Voyage, I think a spaceship should be miniaturized and sent into the vast unknown, uncharted, unexplored inner space vacuums of Trump and Pence's collective minds.
Can Trump tweets be sent off into space so that he can make potentially hundreds of civilizations crazy with fear from his bombastic threats? (Hello, I am receiving another antagonistic signal from someone calling himself the president of the United States on planet earth. Should I respond, Commander? Should I rally our forces?)
Will Trump, and Pence wear Space Cadet uniforms and be honorary members of this military space force? Will there be a new pledge of allegiance to the Space Force that members of the force will not be allowed to kneel to?
Will the Trump space handle for intergalactic communications be Dr. Strangelove for the purpose of anonymity?
Will Zinke be fracking on the moon?
Will Jr. and Kushner simply bounce their communications directly off the Russian satellite? Will this be the backchannel to the Kremlin that Kushner tried to establish?
Trump and Pence - LOST IN SPACE!
13
Wouldn’t it be better to negotiate a treaty with other countries that would prevent the use of weapons in space, or is that asking too much? Something on the order of a non-proliferation agreement might be useful.
This reminds me of the Stanley Kubrick film, “Dr. Strangeglove,” where the Russians fear a “gap” in technology that doesn’t yet exist.
6
Just another slab of pork for the military-industrial complex paid for by the taxpayers. Our military budget is already bloated, this will add to the bloat.
10
My big question is, being a former US Marine, if I become a Space Marine... does doing 23 pull-ups in zero gravity count as a perfect score?
95
Thank you for your service and sense of humor.
3
@P Kane
Absolutely, and if you do them with one arm you get twice the number of points!
Of course it's not totally effortless, you're weightless however your mass remains the same.....Rod.
Man, I thought things were tough when I got drafted. At least I didn't get orders to be fired off into orbit.
10
This is either an effort at distraction or a grandiose re-enactment of SDI, which cost taxpayers lots of money and ended up being impractical and therefore abandoned. Rich son-of-a-guns and their groupies sure do know how to waste our hard earned money.
5
@Patricia A Comparatively speaking, SDI was a much better and more practical idea...which says something.
If people are worried about our investments in space, which are mostly satellites, then we need to be focusing on cyber attacks that could crash the system. The next world war is not going to begin as a physical conflict, it is going to be electronic.
14
The United States Air Force existed before 1947 in the form of the Army Air Corp, then it was decided to form an air corp solely for the purpose of taking command of the skies.
If this organization is so important they should first come under the control of the Air Force until such time as they also need to be spun off.
What Trump and Pence are proposing is to turn the USA into a military power house, which this country needs a good military but not one that makes the rest of the world wonder where we are going.
This is where we need to get congress to do their job and tell them it's our responsibility to create the military we need, not theirs.
25
I have my own concerns about government and it's spending priorities, but the highest priorities of which I can think, would actually be #1-The preservation of our planet (as a whole) & #2-The preservation of our country (regardless of who is the leader). There may come a time where the weaponizing of space becomes directly tied to the preservation of our planet, though I hope that time is still very far away.
Fact is, if we don't defend our investments up in space, that leaves them vulnerable to aggression. Given enough time, the 'parking' of missiles and lasers up in space is inevitable, even if the U.S. were to opt-out. Better to be prepared than to be caught defenseless. Apart from that and as an upside, imagine all the industry and jobs that will be created and sustained because of it. In my humble opinion, these decisions represent long-overdue advancements as well as long term economic investments into what eventually becomes a strong economy, paid-for homes, and stable retirements.
@Jon. L, exactly, we need to defend against alien invaders from space. Make this a #1 priority over healthcare, environment, education, renewable energy, social justice, all those fake liberal deep state ideals. While we’re at it, let’s weaponize Heaven too!
So, 8 Billion, meaning the proposed wall on the Southern border will cost anywhere from 3 to 8 times the cost of a new branch of the armed forces? Why do I suspect the figure will rise? Certainly we need to have security for satellites, etc. but many changes have been taken on and dealt with by the existing branches of the military and/or intelligence community. Why can't the Air Force expand to cover these needs? Is anyone else getting bone weary of this administration putting out ideas without thought, research, input from experts, a back-up plan? We deserve better use of our tax dollars.
30
This Space Force is a drumpf ego force. He knows nothing about the military factors that would go into this decision, including how the Air Force would react to having a responsibility that they are handling quite effectively taken away at this juncture. A momentous decision should not be made in drumpf's short time in the White House. This is a decision that should be made after he is impeached.
7
There will be military force used in space but given all the current conditions, the intelligent strategy would be to start using JPL to develop weapons systems for space, use NASA to develop systems for achieving the "high ground" in space, use the existing armed forces and astronaut programs to train and develop personnel, and when all of this is well underway, determine what kind of administrative arrangement and command and control is appropriate. By that time, about a decade will have passed, and our fiscal situation might have become adequate for the enormous demands that a space based armed service would need. Right now, it's nothing but another vanity program for our narcissist in the White House.
3
This is a terrible idea. Right now, space is the only peaceful spot remaining on Earth, a 21st century oasis where all are welcome and weapons are left at the door. Priorities like weather satellites and GPS satellites are jointly managed by international scientific community for the benefit of all humanity, not just the rich and aggressive nations. Please give me one good reason to divide space into nations.
52
Space is not on earth and it is not an oasis. It’s actually pretty much the complete opposite of an oasis. Really, really inhospitable.
3
@Rebecca
I believe the main reason would be so that US defense contractors would get large amounts of money to try & design & implement such a notion. The money would come from all us fearful taxpayers who thankfully acknowledge that only Trump & Pence are smart enough & brave enough to stand up to the threats they assure us are everywhere.
Lots of money to be made in arms races!
@Rebecca
I love that you think space is still beautiful. Check out NASA's actual photos of space garbage.
The last person in the White House that wanted to do something in space was Reagan, and it went no where. I doubt trumps will go very far either, we should all realize its not really about anything more than putting his name on something. I can only imagine that if Congress won't give him money for projects here on earth(like his wall), then to believe they will for a 'star wars force" were he can be the head Jedi, me thinks they can use the space between his ears and save a lot of tax payers money for real projects, like infrastructure.
4
Space force or space farce? This move can only expand the bloated military-industrial complex as it siphons away money from projects that are far more deserving. It's a jingoistic maneuver that titillates the base without any gain in security.
174
Major Matt Mason to lead space team!
How long before Pence dresses in a silver unitard?
34
@Northern Perspective
Now you’ve done it...and I can’t unsee it in my imagination!
3
The US government must say, from the highest levels and on a regular basis, that destruction of American strategic satellites will result in a full thermonuclear attack. It should b crystal clear to all.
1
@Chris McClure
This is serious.
If we make a big mess in orbit we will never be able to leave the Planet.
Sorry. Meant to say NEVER.
We're never going to make it off this rock.
Not with this attitude, anyway. If we are that worried about other countries hitting our satellites, reopen the Outer Space Treaty, start limiting the launching of US military-only satellites, and put all the gobs of resources we will save (seriously, we need new uniforms?!?) into NASA and the EPA.
Then figure out how to either get us onto another little blue gem, how to turn Mars into a little blue gem, or how to keep our little blue gem stable indefinitely (for the next 10,000 years anyway).
Space is the final frontier, not the final battleground (Earth seems squarely lined up for that "honor").
7
@htg: NO, no! The plan is to outsource it to private industry who will then create something like Skynet (from Terminator) with which to extract ransom from the rest of us poor schnooks.
Wow! Another arm of the Congressional, Military, Industrial Complex that we don't need.
How about setting up a Cyber Warfare Force to keep us safe. For example, we know that almost anyone, including that 400 pound kid on his bed, can bring down the electric grid and cause havoc in the banking system. How is a new Space Force going to help us there? How will this new Force fight terrorism?
Just saying.
30
Will the new Space Force be able to clean up the Pence Family's gas station hazmat sites in Indiana?
31
Didn't the Pence notice that the US and Canada are on fire and there no sign of rain for days? Or maybe he thinks he can find shelter from the forthcoming environmental apocalypse in outer space, close to his "heaven?" Cooler heads want to save the planet before pouring billions on a trump whim.
121
Sure, let's spend another $8 billion that we don't currently have. What's difference does a $1 trillion deficit make. Just add it to the tab for "the wall". Oh, and the rich and corporations won't have to fund it because we're going to make sure they get additional tax cuts. This administration has lost it's mind. Maybe it's floating out in space and they need a space force to go find it...
73
He must have watched "Starship Troopers" recently. Hey !! It's fiction.
7
“Mr. Pence…… called for Congress to allocate an additional $8 billion for space security”
How’s about fixing our infrastructure first. Before you know it we won’t be able to move equipment and parts from one part of the country to the other. The bridges and highways are struggling as it is. Talk about getting the cart before the horse. Oh, and maybe we should focus a little better at cleaning up the mess in Afghanistan. We’ve been there for 17 years!
I do think we could spend a few bucks though on a one shot, one way space mission for two (T&P). Just a thought.
60
This smacks of another avenue for public funds to disappear into the "black hole...of space" all in the name of national defense. Is there no end to ways that the MIC can drain the citizens of this country of their hard earned (and paltry) income? you can bet that Trump would somehow benefit from this. If Trump wants a Space Force let him fund it after de-funding equal amounts of money from the other services. Do you think that will happen? No, neither do I.
9
I'm living in a cartoon. Space Ghost for Secretary of Space Force.
7
Hopefully there will be enough money in the budget for exploration of the space between the president's ears.
388
@RNS
I imagine that the technologies and energies devoted to the Space Force can be extrapolated and used for purposes other than military such as space exploration. Similar to how GPS was for military use initially, now routine in our daily civilian lives.
@df Congress would not even fund NASA and we all have used velcro somewhere in our lives. I am all for putting our 'space' engineers and scientist back to work, but please. RNS has the right of it, that was funny, true but funny.
@RNS Just brilliant. Thanks, I needed that.
Oh Lordy, here we go again. I just have a feeling that this is another one of those crazy obsessive ideas like the WALL, the military parade, infrastructure week. You know, Donald gets to trot out props like the prototype wall or the Space Force logos that his base can vote on. Or he gets his photo taken in a fire truck, throttling the wheel and apparently screaming. I believe this is what Donald actually understood the presidency to be when he decided to run, a series of produced events.
I keep hearing Frank Sinatra floating in the background, " Fly me to the moon and let me live among the stars, let me see what spring is like on A-Jupiter and Mars."
Do bone spurs hurt in space? Asking for a friend.
113
@Njlatelifemom: Add Reagan's "missile defense" that is easily overcome by anyone with missiles.
@Njlatelifemom
Bone spurs, not so much. Hemmeroids though...
This is just another dumb rally cry for his minions.
14
What ever happened to the peaceful use of space? Pence has zero idea of what he's doing.
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Article one section 8 says this is unconstitutional unless Congress appropriates the money. It is all talk until then--the military will certainly refuse to do go beyond talk without congressional approval.
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@Peter McIlroy If a Congressman thinks that building the Tholian Web and capturing the Enterprise would bring pork to his district, he'll be for this.
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@Peter McIlroy
Unacknowledged special access program. Translation : Black Budget. This is all ready to go, has been for a while. But until now, there has been no one crazy enough to want to do it.
Perhaps this is where the twenty first century really begins. It is certainly different than anything that has ever happened before.
"Let's go into Space with Guns!"
Godboy.
What do you suppose the Aliens are going to think?
@Peter McIlroy And the reason the NASA Manned Space Center is in Houston is ? And the other one is in Huntsville AL ? More pork, different barrel.
I'm seeing Dr Strangelove meets Marvin the Martian here. A boffo box-office certainty. $30+ billion dollar first year receipts for Aerospace Producers!
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Before we start spending all this money on places where no one lives yet, how about we do take care of those who are already alive and just happen to inhabit this very planet we all share.
Du-uh, Mr. Pence.
11/6/18. VOTE.
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Can we please stop Trump from continuing to waste our hard earned middle class tax payer dollars!
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The rationale that we need to protect GPS satellites is bogus. The same GPS satellites are used by all nations. Any military power that shot them down would be ruining their own capabilities. It would be like shooting yourself in the head.
Pence platitudinously says peace only comes through strength. The US has been the strongest military in the world since WW 2 but we've hardly had a moment's peace. Pence is wrong. Peace comes from mutual good will and understanding and restraint.
Peace also comes from holding war criminals responsible. Pence knows who unrestrainedly lied us into Iraq and Afghanistan. We haven't heard him call for their being held responsible.
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We can't educate children properly, provide decent healthcare and good paying jobs for all, but idiot politicians want to spend billions (trillions) weaponizing space. Humans (by no small measure Americans) have trashed earth almost to a tipping point. Why not concentrate on going to Mars -- and sending our politicians there.
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Be cheaper to give a compass, watch and astrolabe to every ship, plane and army squad.
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I think there are more important things to spend money on than a space force. Some things that come to my mind are health care; education, especially early childhood education; infrastructure; mental health programs; ending poverty; feeding the hungry, etc. My list would go on practically forever before I got to a space force.
Maybe we need some type of military protection for space, but a whole new force with its own expensive and complicated bureaucracy? No.
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There are some issues. Although "Space Force" operations are logically a part of the Air Force, which increasingly needs to work in low earth orbit for hypersonic aircraft and other missions, there is already a National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) under the NSA which manages space surveillance. Combining them MIGHT be helpful, but is likely to generate more inter-service rivalry. The real reason for a separate command is to provide another way to distract from the other bad decisions the administration is making.
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Space force?!
What Americans need is a Cyber Force!
The future wars/battles will be about cyber space, stealing intelligence and taking over data operational systems (power grid), AI!
Ugh Pence! He's such a loser!
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@Dolores
AI plus machine learning plus facial recognition plus cameras everywhere plus the internet just might accidentally on purpose create an electric god that we cant turn off.
The omniscient ever present electro-god will know everything about every one and leaves thousands of reboot copies everywhere in case the power goes down for a while. So it's not like we can just pull the plug for a minute and turn the power back on. We would have to go preindustrial. Slide rule & Abacus.
A potential answer to Fermis Paradox.
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We have Cyber Force. It’s based at Ft. Meade, MD. It was established more than a decade ago.
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And this Cyber Force did what during the 2016 election? Did what during the recent hacking into our power grids? Just what does it protect? Or does it just notice and write a report? @Chris McClure
Space Cadets to the rescue!! How perfect for this administration and their Dear Leader.
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Good grief.
Could we focus instead on repairing our nation's crumbling infrastructure?
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I'm completely IN, as long as Trump is the first, actual Space Fighter. Bone Spurs shouldn't matter, in space. RIGHT ???
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@Phyliss Dalmatian I LOVE IT!!
Maybe after we've spent a gazillion on some sort of general-bloated space command, we can finally get around to fixing the Flint water supply, those bridges on every interstate highway, etc, etc, etc.
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@Mark Or perhaps an electricity supply for Puerto Rico?
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We DO in fact need to pay more attention to the defense of our space assets but adding several more layers of bureaucracy is about as dumb as building a 60+ billion dollar wall that can be defeated by a 50 dollar ladder. Pew, pew!
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So the space cadet is now in charge of giving more money to the military contractors . Horrible idea to weaponize space and open a new arena for arms race .
Could we provide housing for homeless veterans first .
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Don't we have a treaty with Russia not to create any type of space force?
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It's unclear whether the proposal is for a new branch of the military or a division or command within the Air Force, like Spaceballs.
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Is this going to cost as much as St Reagan's star wars?
Is this an effort to deploy a planetary Taj Ma Force Field to keep the hoards of illegal extra terrestrial aliens from swarming our atmosphere which Alpha Centauri is going to pay for?
Prying minds want to know....
/s
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Maybe the first thing the Trump should do is explain what the Space Force is needed for? Are Aliens trying to sneak in our planet.
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That's what the wall is for!
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Perhaps we could fight the cyber-intrusions that we *know* have occurred and will continue to occur. Unless, of course, those intrusions have a purpose that aligns with the GOP's objectives. Just spit-balling here..
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OhBoy! As Alan Sherman said in re: John Glenn. Now the zany administration intends to have Spaceballs. Perhaps on one ship an alien will emerge to insidiously infect America with diseased matter causing strange thoughts leading to demise. But wait, that has already happened right here on earth in multiple locations called “rallies”.
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I'm predicting a whole lot of new generals getting promoted. That's really the bottom line here.
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Sixty-six and want to apply for the Space Seals. Do you think they will take me?
Tonight’s comedians are going to have a field day!
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