So much misinformation. First it's laser, light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. (did my first paper on them in high school, '67 or '68). Second imagining recon satellites are not at 23,000 feet, nor even 23,000 miles. 23,000 feet is still well within the atmosphere and below the altitude most passenger jets fly at. 23,000 miles is, approximately, the distance geostationary communications, and some early warning satellites are at. At that distance the orbital period is the same as the period of the rotation of the earth, so the satellite appears stationary over one point on the equator (orbit must of course be equatorial). Imaging satellites orbit much lower, but of course if I told you how low, the moderator would rightly pull the post. Same goes for the available resolution, but suffice it to say that identification of individuals is more than problematical from imagery alone. The resolution isn't quite good enough.
BTW, I too support space based lasers, and other directed energy weapons as part of a national missile defense. It would be a defense that would actually defend, rather than our current policy of (mostly) just taking revenge.