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Trump orders creation of space-focused U.S. military branch
U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday said he was ordering the creation of a sixth branch of the military to focus on space, a move critics said could harm the Air Force.
"It is not enough to merely have an American presence in space. We must have American dominance in space," Trump said before a meeting of his National Space Council. "We are going to have the Air Force and we're going to have the 'Space Force.' Separate but equal. It is going to be something," he said later.
The United States is a member of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, which bars the stationing of weapons of mass destruction in space and only allows for the use of the moon and other celestial bodies for peaceful purposes.
The idea of a Space Force has been raised before, by Trump and previous administrations, with proponents saying it would make the Pentagon more efficient. It has also faced criticism from senior military officials. Air Force Chief of Staff General David Goldfein told a 2017 congressional hearing that creating a new space branch would "move us in the wrong direction." The Air Force oversees most of the nation's space-related military activity.
The move would require the budgetary approval of the U.S. Congress, which has been divided on the idea.
President Trump orders the creation of new Starship Troopers/Space Marines memes.
We should have a separate "Space" topic on SoylentNews at this point. We are all going to be drafted to fight aliens eventually.
Also at BBC (#winning image).
Previously: The United States Space Corps Wants You...
Congressional Panel Puts Plans for a US Space Corps in 2018 Defense Budget
The Case for a U.S. Space Force
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 19 2018, @09:00AM (2 children)
There are international agreements on this, and they care not about Donald Junkmeister Trumpf. His pronouncement has the same weight as if he has pronounced it on The Apprentice. In fact, I think that he thinks that he is still there. Separate, but Equal-- Racist Precedent, doncha think? Fuck the Small-handed Donald!
(Score: 2) by PiMuNu on Tuesday June 19 2018, @10:58AM (1 child)
No, that is the wrong way round. You can make as many "international agreements" as you like, but if the big players ignore them then they are worthless.
Charles XII of Austro-Hungarian empire was anxious that his daughter should succeed him, so before his death he ensured that all of the major powers signed a treaty to respect the inheritance. Within 6 months of his death, the great European powers were at war trying to decide who should succeed him.
(The story of Maria Theresa is a good one - she rode to Hungary, carrying her baby Joseph and begged the horse lords, the Magyars, to come to her aid against the military genius Frederick II and the might of the French empire. At the head of a mighty army, together with the aid of the famed and feared British navy and the Hanoverian army, Maria Theresa was able to bring France to heel.)
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 19 2018, @03:11PM
but EVERYONE at some point brought france to heel. its their way.