US using space supremacy to wage combat in Iraq, Afghanistan

Sydney Morning Hearld ^ | 06/22/06

[garbageseeker]

The US military is relying ever more on space satellites to help wage combat in places like Iraq and Afghanistan, though analysts say that Washington's space supremacy could be threatened by rivals in the future.

The Pentagon is using sophisticated satellites that orbit Earth in a bid to track down its enemies and keep a round-the-clock watch on unfriendly foes.

The technological advantage can prove lethal, as witnessed by the recent air raid that killed the long-wanted Al-Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

"Space capabilities have revolutionized the way we fight today by providing our forces with battlefield situational awareness, environmental understanding, precise weapons effects, and the ability to control and synchronize military operations on a global scale," Lieutenant General Robert Kehler, the deputy commander of US Strategic Command, told a Congressional panel.

[garbageseeker]

I guess space is the final frontier.

[garbageseeker]

Ping

[Spktyr]

Yes, it is the final frontier. And we better *own* it before anyone else.

[garbageseeker]

I totally agree. Space is the next battlefield.

[freedumb2003]

[LeoWindhorse]

"The Pentagon is using sophisticated satellites that orbit Earth in a bid to track down its enemies and keep a round-the-clock watch on unfriendly foes."

I think we need to develop a space based , individual human targetable weapon system , that we can employ to take out such despots and world threats such as Kim jong Il and Achmedhandjob . Just zap them from space and have done with them. Why invade entire countries , risking our precious soldiers and other treasures to take out these miscreants?
And then have to carry the moral responsibility to nation build in the aftermath ? How much better it would be to just eliminate the main source of the trouble , the renegade leaders. Call it G.O.D. (global opposition destroyer ?)

[garbageseeker]

War in Space is inevitable.

[garbageseeker]

It a possibility. Did you see the movie "Real Genius"? The premise of the movie was a creation of a space based system that can kill a person.

[LeoWindhorse]

no I didn't see that , but I do really feel like there is a need for something like that. Think of all the suffering that could be eliminated in the world if those that start these repressive and threatening regimes could just be sizzled early on.

[Zman516]

If the America-hating liberal politicians get their way, this advantage will be dashed.

[garbageseeker]

I am pretty sure that your idea has circulated around the intelligence agencies a couple of times.

[garbageseeker]

Liberals hate anything that deals with war.

[LeoWindhorse]

I hope they have it already! I hope they start using it!
We do not need to know....may they use it wisely and effectively ;^)

[IrishCatholic]

yes, but the movie's premise was that it was the evil military that took the hero's work and used it to create a weapon when the hero didn't know about it. The final act of the movie was the sabotage of the weapon.
It is amazing that there are many FReeper that post here that don't want us in space and don't want a manned space program. I guess they are OK with a Chinese base on the moon.
Would they be OK if ala Heinlein they started throwing rocks down?

[Prophet in the wilderness]

" Liberals hate anything that deals with war. " unless it's against the USA , Christians , Conservatives.

[garbageseeker]

yes, but the movie's premise was that it was the evil military that took the hero's work and used it to create a weapon when the hero didn't know about it. The final act of the movie was the sabotage of the weapon.

Your right. Its one of my favorite movie. I like it when they use the frozen nitrogen as money for the coffee machine. When I was also in college, I wore bedroom slippers to class like in the movie.


It is amazing that there are many FReeper that post here that don't want us in space and don't want a manned space program. I guess they are OK with a Chinese base on the moon.

I want both a civilian and a military presence in space. It is imperative that the United States has a strong presence in the high frontier.

[garbageseeker]

It would be useful.

[Syntyr]

DFA

"Death From Above"

[garbageseeker]

You bet.

[TUX]

The liberal pin heads will give our tech away. ie Nixon giving docking tech to the ruskies in the 70's. Launch tech to the Chinese(Toon). Space station tech to everybody.