[Brett66]

I don't think we will sit idly by and let them go to the moon without a challenge. Unfortunately they will be ready to set up a moon base and we will suddenly discover the national will to go back there. Their plan will be a deliberate,long range one culminating in a moon base that won't be abandoned. Our plan will be thrown together in the last seconds. We will throw some hardware on the surface in a rush and declare victory. After about 3-4 years of lunar base operation we will abandon it because it will be too expensive and there will be no political will to continue. The Chinese will stay and expand their base. We will live under a Chinese moon.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

I hope there are some clear heads working behind the scenes on our interests.

U.S Air Force and NASA Work Closer on Strategic Space Control-- The shift toward greater emphasis on space for national security needs is being led by Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld. Prior to being appointed to his post by President Bush, Rumsfeld led a national commission on use of space for national security needs. (More LINKS at this one.)

(Oct. 10, 2001)China Plans to Send Probe to Moon--[Excerpt]…….few details are available of new developments in the military-linked program. ……….China's communist government has poured huge resources into making the nation a force in space. In addition to its scientific benefits, lunar exploration has an ``immeasurable usefulness to raising national prestige and inspiring the nationalistic spirit,'' Xinhua said. [End Excerpt]

[jhofmann]

This while going to the moon thing by China is a propaganda ploy. Their goal is to make sure that they are ready to deploy weapons in space to attack our intelligence, surveillance and recon assets and advance their ICBM capabilities. What exactly is on the moon besides the American flag and our footprings that we should feel threatened by China going up there?