Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Yanks in space

The US has just unclassified parts of its new space policy - see here for the pdf. I had a quick skim through the document (it's only 10 pages and is mainly bullet points) and the main gist of it seems to be this:

  • we don't want anyone telling us what we can and can't do in space, and if you try interfering then, well, we've warned you right!
  • space things that help US national security, foreign policy and further US aims = good
  • other people infringing on our unequivocable right to do any of the above (in space) = bad
  • we'll collaborate with other people (international partners and such), but only if it's directly in our interests and helps with the furthuring of our aims (to be fair any country/government would, and does, say this, as any electorate/populus would frown in their money being spent on something that wasn't within the national interest - Matt)
  • space shouldn't belong to anyone (sounds laudable and good so far - Matt), actual US subtext = so don't try to claim anything up there as we'll just ignore the claim and do what we want with what you claimed anyway, or more basically "it's ours, so fuck off!"
  • we're not saying that we are going to put weapons in space (although if we did it would be for perfectly good national security reasons you understand), but just you try and stop us and you'll be sorry

I hope that makes you all feel nice and warm that good ol' unkie Sam will be protecting us and our future freedoms when we get into space.

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