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by Karl Grossman

The United States is seeking to make space a new arena of war--and is looking to the United Kingdom to be a "partner" in this venture.

The Bush administration would--as President George W. Bush attempted in his speech two days ago--have the world believe this is all about "missile defense."

This is untrue. A broad U.S. space military program is involved, indeed revealed in U.S. government and military documents such as the recent report of the "Space Commission" chaired by the new U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, the blueprint for the space military program of the Bush administration.

As the report of the commission's report, issued January 11, says: "In the coming period the U.S. will conduct operations to, from, in and through space in support of its national interests both on the earth and in space."

"Power projection in, from and through space" is advocated by the "Space Commission," formally called the Commission to Assess United States National Security Space Management and Organization. It urges the U.S. president "have the option to deploy weapons in space" and the U.S. Space Command be made a quasi-independent U.S. armed service, a Space Corps, like the U.S. Marine Corps.

The Rumsfeld "Space Commission" report follows a series of U.S. military reports in recent years that call for the U.S. to "control space" and from space "dominate" the Earth below.

I have brought copies of pages from these reports for you. You will see that "missile defense" is a "layer" in a far wider program.

As the U.S. Space Command's "Long Range Plan" declares: "The time has come to address, among warfighters and national policy makers, the emergence of space as a center of gravity for DoD [Department of Defense] and the nation .. Space power in the 2lst Century looks similar to previous military revolutions, such as aircraft-carrier warfare and Blitzkrieg."

But the U.S. is hard-pressed to do this alone. We need you and a few other nations for sites for command-and-control facilities and other assistance--"Global Partnerships" as the "Long Range Plan" puts it to "strengthen military space capabilities." And also there in the "Long Range Plan," above an oval with the words: "Potential Initiatives To Enable * Control of Space * Global Engagement * Full Force Integration" and below the word "Partnerships" are the flags of nine nations. Among the flags: the Union Jack.

The United Kingdom shouldn't be involved in this U.S. scheme.

It is a scheme involving, in part, money. President Bush, for example, spoke in his speech about three emissaries he'll be sending around the world to promote the U.S. space military plan. He identified one as Stephen Hadley.

Stephen Hadley? Before joining the Bush administration, Hadley was a partner in the Washington law firm of Shea & Gardner which represents Lockheed Martin, the world's biggest weapons manufacturer and a corporation central to the U.S. Star Wars program. The U.S. recently gave the go-ahead for development of the Space-Based Laser, a $20 to 30 billion program. The Space-Based Laser's builders: Boeing, TRW--and Lockheed Martin.

And it is a scheme involving power. When President Ronald Reagan first announced the U.S. Star Wars program in 1983, he said it was about fending off what he considered the "evil empire," the Soviet Union. There is no Soviet Union any longer. Why Star Wars now?

The U.S. space military documents, as you will note, stress the "global economy." As the U.S. Space Command's "Vision for 2020" report, its cover depicting a laser weapon shooting a beam down from space zapping a target below, says: "The globalization of the world economy will also continue with a widening between 'haves' and 'have-nots.'" From space, the U.S., the engine of the global economy--would keep those "have-nots" in line.

"Vision for 2020" further declares the mission of the U.S. Space Command as "dominating the space dimension of military operations to protect US interests and investment. Integrating Space Forces into warfighting capabilities across the full spectrum of conflict." And it compares the U.S. effort to "control space" and Earth below to how centuries ago "nations built navies to protect and enhance their commercial interests," referring to you and the other empires of Europe which once ruled the waves.

The "Long Range Plan" states: "The United States will remain a global power and exert global leadership. The United States won't always be able to forward base its forces.Widespread communications will highlight disparities in resources and quality of life--contributing to unrest in developing countries. The global economy will continue to become more interdependent. Economic alliances, as well as the growth and influence of multi-national corporations, will blur security agreements. The gap between 'have' and 'have-not' nations will widen--creating regional unrest. One of the long acknowledged and commonly understood advantages of space-based platforms is no restriction or country clearances to overfly a nation from space."

Of power, when I was last here at the British Parliament, the Honorable Alan Simpson took the copy of "Vision for 2020" I was showing and declared: "Professor Grossman, we understand. We, too, were once an empire--drunk with power."

That is the situation my dear Members of Parliament. I regret to inform you that your former colony is out of control. Its government and a segment of its military--plus more modern entities called corporations--are drunk with power.

Your other North American progeny, Canada, not too incidentally, has been trying hard to stop the U.S. Star Wars program. It has been moving at the United Nations for a strengthening of the basic international law on space, the Outer Space Treaty of 1967. Canada is proposing a ban on all weapons in space (the Outer Space Treaty presently bans nuclear arms and weapons of mass destruction in space).

At the UN in October Marc Vidricaire of the Canadian delegation declared: "Outer space has not yet witnessed the introduction of space-based weapons. This could change if the international community does not first prevent this destabilizing development through the timely negotiation of measures banning the introduction of weapons into outer space. It has been suggested that our proposal is not relevant because the assessment on which it rests is either premature or alarmist. In our view, it is neither. One need only look at what is happening right now to realize that it is not premature."

"There is no question that the technology can be developed to place weapons in outer space," said Vidricaire. "There is also no question that no state can expect to maintain a monopoly on such knowledge -- or such capabilities -- for all time. If one state actively pursues the weaponization of space, we can be sure others will follow."

The United States has been blocking the Canadian initiative.

Weeks later, on November 20, 2000, because of the U.S. space military program, a vote was held on a resolution for "Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space." It sought to "reaffirm" the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 and specifically its provision that space be reserved for "peaceful purposes." Some 163 nations--including the United Kingdom--voted in favor. The U.S.--an original signer of the treaty--abstained. We have become quite the rogue state.

But getting drunk with power can do strange things. The legislation which got the Rumsfeld "Space Commission" established in 2000 was authored by U.S. Senator Bob Smith of New Hampshire. Of the U.S. "controlling space," Smith in a new TV documentary"Star Wars Returns"that I have written and narrate (copies of which I have for you today) says: "It is our manifest destiny. You know we went from the East Coast to the West Coast of the United States of America settling the continent and they call that manifest destiny and the next continent if you will, the next frontier, is space and it goes on forever." Yes, now it's U.S. Cosmic Manifest Destiny.

No, the United Kingdom shouldn't be involved in this U.S. scheme.

What the U.S. is up to will destabilize the world. Canada as well as China, Russia, indeed basically the rest of the world, seek to keep space for peace and are agreed on banning all weapons in space.

As, after the horror of chemical warfare in the First World War when nations said we can no longer allow chemical warfare, the world for nearly 35 years has agreed--and successfully managed--to keep war out of space. The Outer Space Treaty should be strengthened to ban all weapons in space. Verification mechanisms should be added. And space be kept for peace.

But there is only a narrow window to do this--for if the United States moves ahead with its Star Wars scheme there will be no putting this genie back in the bottle. Other nations will respond in kind and there will be an arms race and ultimately war in space.

This weekend, people from around the United Kingdom--indeed from all over the world--will gather in Leeds because of the proximity of Menwith Hill, an important component in the U.S. space military program. The meeting is titled "No Star Wars: An International Conference to Keep Space for Peace."

I urge you distinguished members of Parliament to join in helping stop this move by the United States to turn the heavens into a war zone.

May 3, 2001

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Karl Grossman, professor of journalism at the State University of New York College at Old Westbury, has specialized in investigative reporting for more than 30 years. His books include "The Wrong Stuff: The Space Program's Nuclear Threat To Our Planet" (Common Courage Press) and his video documentaries include "Nukes In Space: The Nuclearization and Weaponization of the Heavens " (EnviroVideo). His new video documentary, "Star Wars Returns," is forthcoming from EnviroVideo 1-800-ECO-TV46 or http://www.envirovideo.com
and new book, "Weapons In Space," soon to be published by Seven Stories Press
http://www.info@sevenstories.com
or 212-226-8760

Grossman is a charter member of the Commission on Disarmament Education, Conflict Resolution and Peace of the International Association of University Presidents and the United Nations. He is convenor of the Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power In Space (352-337-9274 or http://www.space4peace.org
eMail: globalnet@mindspring.com
Its address is PO Box 90083,
Gainesville, Florida 32607.

Karl Grossman
Box 1680,
Sag Harbor, New York 11963.
Fax: 631-725-9338.
eMail: kgrossman@hamptons.com

Karl Grossman explains the Outer Space Treaty and gives a history of the Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space. Praise for Karl Grossman's The Wrong Stuff: "Grossman's approach is simple and straightforward - present the problem, expose the lunacies, explain the alternatives, call for action." - The Nation

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