That high ground can almost certainly be more effectively occupied by robots than humans for the foreseeable future.
The whole concept of “demilitarization” of space is as stupid as demilitarization of the seas. Those who beat their missiles into plowshares will end up tilling for those who kept their missiles.
When all kids have to dream about is a high score playing 'Guitar Hero', it is hard to get them involved in studying math and science.
At least we could dream of mankind going to the stars when I was young, now it will be a miracle if my great grandchildren's generation gets past the asteroid belt, in person, not just jockeying a robot from afar.
When the 'great society' was produced by the LBJ administration the missions to the moon were pretty much on their way.
I recall the hoopla then about how 'we should be spending that money here on earth and not in space, feeding the poor'... yadda yadda yadda.
Well, the poor are still poor, if well fed, but our national vision of going places and doing things seems subsumed by the collective, while other nations are vying to lead.
Let's put people out there, boots on the ground, so to speak, and revive the dreams of the next generations.
If our people do not lead, someone else's will.