There is a difference between supporting space exploration for military value and " searching for evidence of life" on Mars or somewhere else.
Nobody has suggested that a trip to the moon would be anything but an exploration mission. So with that, I don`t support it.
In my earlier post, I suggested that private business should have invested in "space exploration", and believing if it had, we would be much more advanced in that area as a world, not necessarily as a nation. What business is it for our government to be looking for lifeforms out in the great beyond?
Also, the tax money that was spent on space exploration so far could have been better used in other areas ( which included the military, if it meant a missle defence system, so be it ).
But for military purposes, I would support the government in such an avenue 100%. I believe NASA should be converted to take a military role, and not be some science research juggernaut for the "there must be life out there somewhere" crowd.. It is stupid and a waste of money.
I'm sorry I haven't heard much of anybody saying going back to the moon would be for an "exploratory" mission other than to find if there was frozen ice in craters on the poles, which really isn't just for exploration when you consider the ice can be used for fuel, oxygen, power and food production for a self sufficient base of a potential permanent habitation.