Bush's Mars Plan Attacked - It's just pie in the sky to the foreign press.

Slate ^ | January 20, 2004 | Carl Schrag

[Cincinatus' Wife]

(AFP/Tim Sloan)

Can anybody be surprised that most of the world's papers were less than impressed by President Bush's plans for a manned mission to Mars? While the thrill of interplanetary exploration makes for a hot election-year topic at home, much of the foreign press saw it as rocket-fueled American imperialism.

Characterizing a roundup of United Arab Emirates residents' views on Bush's latest policy announcement, the Gulf News said, "[P]resident Bush is promising the moon—quite literally—but people are skeptical about the plan being realized, and call it just another 'political gimmick' designed to uphold US supremacy and resume the space race."

Other voices in the Middle East were less charitable. The Palestinian Authority's Al-Hayat Al-Jadidah practically sneered: "The U.S. is preparing for the invasion of Mars and other planets. ... What are the other planets chosen for the US invasion? Are they an axis of planetary evil?" (Arabic translation courtesy of BBC Monitoring.)

Ridicule of Bush's plans wasn't limited to the Arab world. A columnist in the Age of Australia envisioned the day, not too far in the future, when American astronauts will traverse the rusty red rockscape—"so our scientists will be able to verify the existence of Martian rocks." As for the tremendous price tag affixed to the project? Not to worry. If it doesn't get spent on travel to Mars, it'll go for bombs and freeways, not education and health care. And what tangible impact will such an undertaking have on the future of the world? "A human trip to Mars is about as useful as a surfing trip to the Dandenongs."

[Cincinatus' Wife]

LINKS at site.

[ambrose]

EuroTrash Alert.

[ambrose]

Talk about jealous. And these weenies have no problem with us spending good money after bad on the ISS.

[cripplecreek]

europeons will allways be europeons (i do know how to spell it) and will forever see themselves as the center of the enlightened world. looking a little further east the russians are wetting themselves with excitement. i read at space.com the other day that they are willing to contribute anything they can.

they have the intrest, they have the know how, they just dont have the money.

[Viking2002]

The PA and UAE can sneer all they want when they finally develop aerospace technology that surpasses, say, a used cropduster. </sarcasm>

[afuturegovernor]

Many places (the Arab world and the socialist left in many democratic countries) like to pretend that they are better than the United States. When it comes to our space program, they can't keep up that fiction. We are the only country that can say, "let's go to Mars" and the rest of the world take us seriously.

[George W. Bush]

The Palestinian Authority's Al-Hayat Al-Jadidah practically sneered: "The U.S. is preparing for the invasion of Mars and other planets. ... What are the other planets chosen for the US invasion? Are they an axis of planetary evil?" (Arabic translation courtesy of BBC Monitoring.)

This one is droll.

They're evil but funny. Even so, we need to bomb them all. Soon.

[Democratshavenobrains]

Here's a guide for anybody who is confused

The Space Program during a Republican administration: A xenophobic waste of money designed for imperialism

The Space Program during a Democrat administration: A benevolent use of funds to further mankind's happiness and success.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Talk about jealous.

Bump!

And they don't have the American spirit of adventure and discovery. That's why we're where we are, and they're where they are booing us.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

You got it.

[mikenola]

[Cincinatus' Wife]

There are even more nauseating ones at Slate's site. I couldn't dazzle you with the complete article because if they didn't demand that we LINK, they wouldn't get any hits.

[snopercod]

All Eurotrash and Islamotrash aside, Bush's "plan" signifies the end of the once-glorious American Manned Space Program. The man is a PR genius to pass this initiative off as a step forward.

The shuttle program will be ended with no replacement. The ISS will be turned over to the Russians (or anybody else who wants it). The "pie in the sky" is not adequately funded.

I know you are a space supporter, but before flaming me, please sit down with a pot of coffee and read Shuttle Retired As US Heads Back To Moon.

Pay particular attention to the comments from those who have actually worked in the program, at Nasa Watch, linked on that thread, but re-linked here for your convenience.

It will take a while, but if you are interested in the facts, not the spin, you will have to do it.

[The Iguana]

Other voices in the Middle East were less charitable. The Palestinian Authority's Al-Hayat Al-Jadidah practically sneered: "The U.S. is preparing for the invasion of Mars and other planets. ... What are the other planets chosen for the US invasion? Are they an axis of planetary evil?" (Arabic translation courtesy of BBC Monitoring.)

They're just trying to lull us into a false sense of security so that the Islamic space program beats us to it.

[irv]

people ... call it just another ... gimmick designed to uphold US supremacy

I don't have a problem with that.

[greenwolf]

The following are actual NASA photographs, and this is why we're going to Mars:

Anybody doing crybaby tantrums over this one is too stupid to worry about.

[Constantine XIII]

What a bunch of asnine nonsense. Those dumb***es probably couldn't pass freshman physics for all the tea in China. I swear, is it just me or are 90% of journalists dumber than a sack of hammers?

[Cincinatus' Wife]

[Cincinatus' Wife]

I don't have a problem with that.

I don't either. Peace through strength.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

I swear, is it just me or are 90% of journalists dumber than a sack of hammers?

If they fell down they'd miss.