"This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence -- economic, political, even spiritual -- is felt in every city, every State house, every office of the Federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society.
"In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.
'We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together. "
How does showing you can shoot down other peoples satellites protect your own, when the people who might do it to you dont have many anyway. "If you shoot down our 444, we'll shoot down your 43".
Just seems to me like another obscene waste of money to show you can do something that you would never want to do anyway. Destroying the enemies satellites would more than likely damage your own in the process.
"How does demonstrating that we can shoot down 100% of China's spy satellite resources in response to them shooting down 5% of ours deter them from initiating hostilities ?"
> Destroying the enemies satellites would more than likely damage your own in the process.
You're making assumptions about what percent of our orbital resources are not yet in orbit and are instead bunkered in hardened silos waiting to be deployed.
I find this whole China versus the United States ridiculous- there is at present a state of mutually assured economic destruction, as real as that which existed with the Soviet Union in terms of nuclear weaponry.
No one's bombing the other, no one's invading the other, and no one's blowing the shit of the other's satellites. At most, China will sell their bonds and we will block the import of Chinese goods. Then our economies will real and someone will blink, causing a return to normalcy.
Good point about the bunkers. Would they really initiate a conflict in space knowing they could only shoot down 5% though? Seems to me if you cant take them all in one go then you probably shouldn't bother.
"In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.
'We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together. "
Eisenhower's Farewell Address, 1961