Some readers will remember that Ronald Reagan, then president of the United States, was ridiculed by many for his Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), also known as the Star Wars Program. This was an attempt to develop weapons systems capable of knocking ballistic missiles from the sky before the missiles could fall on our land. Liberals were horrified that anyone could find an alternative to Reagan’s “mutually guaranteed destruction” (MAD), which he called a suicide pact.
Joe Biden, the then-Sen., was not only wrong about the issue but also wrong about virtually every major issue since. “Star Wars” represents a fundamental attack on concepts, alliances, and arms-control agreements that have bolstered American security over several decades. The president’s continued support of it is one of the most irresponsible and reckless acts in the modern history of statecraft,” he advised in 1986.
Joe, the technology that was developed in response to this initiative has helped Israel develop the Iron Dome. This system is used by Israel to intercept Iranian missiles as well as Houthi projectiles.
Reagan was correct to look to the future, because the battle of the coming years may very well take place in space. The Russians agree, as according to U.S. officials, they have just launched a weapon capable of tracking and destroying our satellites.
The U.S. Department of Defense now believes that a Russian “Satellite Launch” on May 16th, which caused a NOTAM to be issued off the Coast of California, was likely a Cover for the Deployment of a Counter-Space Weapon, which is now in Low-Orbit around the Earth and Tracking near… pic.twitter.com/koDf1UXBGQ
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) May 21, 2024
Robert Wood, Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations, delivered the news on Monday.
Wood stated in remarks made before the vote on a UN Security Council Resolution drafted by Russia regarding outer space security that “Russia launched a satellite on May 16 into low earth orbit which is likely to be a counter space weapons presumably capable of destroying other satellites in low earth orbit.”
Wood said that the launch on May 16 “follows previous Russian satellite launches, likely of counter space system to low Earth orbit between 2019 and 2022.”
Watch:
Today, at the @UN Security Council meeting on a resolution on the prevention of an arms race in outer space & outer space security, Robert Wood, U.S. representative in the UN, highlighted Russia’s actions in space & how the U.S. will continue to demonstrate safe space activities. pic.twitter.com/1dyVJ1Rt8n
— U.S. Space Command (@US_SpaceCom) May 20, 2024
The Pentagon announced the launch on Tuesday:
The Pentagon’s spokesperson, Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said that the US assessment of the Russian satellite showed “further characteristics similar to previously deployed counter space payloads from 2019 and 2020.”
Officials in the United States are worried that Russia is developing a nuclear-powered space weapon that, if used, could have devastating consequences.
CNN reported that the US and its allies are working to prevent Russia from developing nuclear space weapons. Such a weapon, if deployed, could destroy satellites through a massive energy beam when detonated. This could cripple a large swath of commercial satellites and government satellites, which are used by the world to make phone calls, pay bills and surf the web.
This launch is a concerning–and provocative–development. The United States should continue to do what it has been doing since the Cold War, which is staying one step ahead.
