Sen. Biden Warns Against Space Arms Race

Las Vegas Sun ^ | January 21, 2007 at 8:55:11 PST | DESMOND BUTLER ASSOCIATED PRESS

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

WASHINGTON (AP) -

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman warned on Sunday against fostering an arms race in space after China was reported to have conducted an anti-satellite weapons test.

Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., said the test was provocative, but that the United States had ways to combat the threat posed by it.

"I don't think we should be overly worried about this at this point," Biden said. "We have ways to deal with that ability."

The U.S. said China conducted the test earlier this month in which an old Chinese weather satellite was destroyed by a missile.

Biden, who is running for president in 2008, said President Bush's policy on weapons in space need to be reviewed.

"One of the things we have to talk about is whether or not the, sort of, ideological base notion about how we deal with space and weapons in space and the use of weapons from space is something that is a path we should continue to follow," he said.

In October, Bush signed an order asserting the United States' right to deny adversaries access to space for hostile purposes. As part of the first revision of U.S. space policy in nearly 10 years, the update said the U.S. would oppose the development of treaties or other restrictions that seek to prohibit or limit America's access to or use of space.

"This is not the direction we want to go, in escalating competition in space. And we should be talking about it," Biden said.

Analysts said China's weather satellites would travel at about the same altitude as U.S. spy satellites, so the test represented an indirect threat to American defense systems.

The Chinese foreign ministry has denied knowledge of the test.

Biden appeared on "Fox News Sunday."

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[Jewels1091]

the jackasses will never get it, until it blows up their houses, then they will blame anyone else but themselves!

[IronJack]

"This is not the direction we want to go, in escalating competition in space."

"We should be honing our extraterrestrial groveling skills," Biden added. "These days, it's no longer enough to just be able to cut and run on the ground. We have to develop a superior ability to retreat in space as well. Eventually we'll have the capability of chickening out in the air, on land, and on the high seas."

[spikeytx86]

So what if china has sent a shot across our bow and showed us they can cripple our economy and blind us from any attack in 30 minutes and a few dozen missile salvos, we should not appear aggressive in a threatening situation. The best course would be to give them what ever they want and hide under our desks silly warmongers! >SARC

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

ROFL!

Excellent!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I'm sure that would be President Bush and Vice President Cheney.

[keithtoo]

One thing is for sure, we can always depend on Democrats like Biden to vigorously defend American interests.

[LazarusMan]

Well take into account most Lie-berals opinion of NASA. They think it is a useless defunct organization that has contributed nothing. Hmmm sounds like the proper definition of a Lie-beral, but I do digress. They would like you to forget the thousands of technological developments we have attained from NASA, not to mention their contribution to National Security. The Dimowits would love to have us Earth bound while the Chinese, Russians, Euros, etc, control space. The military, economic, and cultural ramifications of this, for the United States, would be disastrous.Not to mention the pioneering spirit in most Americans would be revitalized if we truly made exploration of this new frontier preeminent in our national agendas. You and I both know the Libs wouldn't allow that if they could.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

This is so predictable on the part of Biden.

[Intolerant in NJ]

Sen. Biden Warns Against Space Arms Race...couldn't have figured that one out for ourselves - thank goodness there are brilliant people like Biden in the Senate to help us out......

[onyx]

The plagiarizer is a broken record, in that can always be counted on to take an anti-American view.

[Hoosier-Daddy]

All I can say to Sen. Biden is, if "this isn't the direction you wish to go" Sir, you and the Democrat Party should just back into it. It's what you're good at.

[Grizzled Bear]

The popular impression of Democrats is that they are willing to bend over and take it rather than risk a conflict with someone who is hostile to the U.S.

This could not be further from the truth.

Democrats are willing to bend YOU over so you will take it rather than risk a conflict with someone who is hostile to the U.S.

[BenLurkin]

BUMP!

[Pepper777]

Thanks for the ping. ;)

BTW, I just checked out the schedule for Coast to Coast tonight. The topic is listed below - the implications of the Chinese shooting down a satellite. Might be interesting!!

Sun 01.21 >>
John Jay Harper will discuss the implications of the Chinese shooting down a satellite, as well as solar flare activity as it relates to viral infection.

[boop]

Libs are such hypocrites. They also want to defund missle defense research because it is "impossible" or "unworkable" but they DO want to fund things like stem cell "research", and alternative energy "research".

[DaveyB]

Sen. Biden Warns Against Space Arms Race

I personally like the idea of a space arms race. It gives many opportunities for engineers to advance technology. Last time we had a strong flow of dollars into a space arms race, under Reagan, we toppled the soviet union, advanced technology that flowed down to many products that improved the overall economy and quality of life. America is falling behind in real science and math, this could be impetus to reverse some of that. No, I say let's dominate space and increase our advantage, let's embrace the challenge and maybe we can topple another communist regime.

[familyop]

Yes. If anti-defense politicians get their way, we'll put off defense research, new weapons and action until the enemy carries out attacks worse than the attack on the World Trade Center. Then they'll draft millions of American women and men to fight the enemy with antiquated equipment. That and China's current frenzied military R&D shows us that there's probably trouble on the way.

[Brimack34]

Maybe he was abducted by Aliens(that explains him) and they warned him do not go there.

[Williams]

I could hit a home run against the democrats every day, but my party can't. A potential enemy tests a new aggressive weapon system aimed at us, and the dem reaction is that WE shouldn't start an arms race. We should do nothing.

It should be a home run with the bases loaded, if republicans would simply call them out on this nuttiness.

[JSteff]

"We have ways to deal with that ability."

Yes they know, Bill Clinton gave that ability to them also.