Posted on 08/01/2007 8:10:20 AM PDT by Contentions
How worried should we be about Iran and its raging president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad? Can developments on Mars or in other locations in outer-space help us ward off the danger? This is not a facetious question.
It is quite clear that the ayatollahs are determined to acquire nuclear weapons. In the face of this challenge, and assuming that diplomacy fails to stop them, we are likely to have two non-exclusive options: strike at their nuclear facilities or build defensive systems like the Airborne Laser.
But from time to time, it helps to step back from the intricate problems connected with either option and remind ourselves of the essential nature of this conflict. That essential nature is asymmetric, and here is where Mars and outer space come in.
(Excerpt) Read more at commentarymagazine.com ...
The 1967 UN Outer Space Treaty has blocked space development for a 1/4 century. Space development has been possible all that time but it isn’t happening. The Treaty is the reason.
Clearly, if we need to, we can clean their clock. Now, what will it be, Iran with nukes, or Iran with piles of concrete?
Iran is from Uranus?
I agree. Give them 60 days, then take out the facility. Enough talk.
It is a profound mistake to think of this war as a war of competing technological capabilities. It is a war of will and infiltration. The muslim goal is to out-breed and break our institutions. Our goal usually seems to be not to have to think about unpleasant things.
That stinking treaty creates a cage for countries who obey it. If China is signed on to it they’ll ignore it anyway as would other nations.
American corporations would probably put a lot of money into space exploration and development if there was any foreseeable gain. As it is now, corporations would simply be firing money into space never to be seen again.
China not only signed, they prosecuted the guy who was selling parcels on the moon for violating the Treaty.
They might not since they are locked into the annual or quarterly accounting reports. But other investment capital is available and would be made available if property rights were available. Got to have property rights as collateral.
I suspect they prosecuted him for not doing it with their approval. Besides, it didn’t really mean anything. If a large company thought they could feasbly mine the moon or asteroids China woould dump that treaty so fast it would make your head spin.
“This is why this war cannot be won using civilized or ‘nice’ methods.”
As a veteran that lost friends in Vietnam, I am disgusted beyond words at the politically correct methods that this administration is using to fight THIS war.
Apparently we learned nothing from pissing away 76,000 American soldiers lives in Vietnam..........because we’re now trying the same thing again.
If we don’t have the will to brutally destroy our enemies when we go to war, then we should just stay home.
China intends to have orbiting farms. They don’t have a clue how to mine asteroids. Russia continues to think Lunar He3 is other than fantasy.
If He3 proves to be viable there will be a lunar rush and we better be in the lead or we’ll be at the mercy of whoever does lead the way.
Join the Russians in He3 Fantasyland. If you want something that will pay, consider iron and aluminum with some copper. Forget these other flashes in the pan. They are fools gold.
That, and it just costs too durn much to orbit stuff until we can build nuclear rockets or a space elevator or something.
Iran’s leadership is from Uranus.
We don’t have to orbit much. Space mining means getting material from space not launching material into space.
More than once in a thread, especially in a single page of posts is far more than enough. Might as well call in the IDers.
That’s what I get for not reading the thread comments before posting.
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