DISARM EYE ON CONGRESS ALERT--JUNE 2:
Tell Your Senators No Weapons in Space!
For nearly a half-century, the peaceful use of space has yielded immense
benefits to humans worldwide. Now, the Bush administration is requesting
funding for a program that would, for the first time, set the United States
on a path of placing weapons in space. This program is dangerous since it
would encourage other countries to develop similar space weapons, which
could be used to attack satellites.
As soon as this week, the U.S. Senate could begin considering
the annual defense bills that will determine whether
to fund this program. Write to your senators immediately, urging them to
oppose putting weapons in space and oppose funding for this program.
Sample Letter:
I strongly oppose putting weapons in space. During consideration of the
annual defense authorization and defense appropriations bills, I urge you to
oppose any funding for the missile defense Space Test Bed. Please also take
the opportunity to speak out forcefully against the weaponization of
space.
The Space Test Bed would put dedicated space-based weapons in orbit
for the first time. These weapons, however, would not provide an effective
defense against missiles since they could be attacked from the ground or the
system could be easily overwhelmed.
These space-based weapons would be more useful for attacking satellites
than for missile defense. The program could therefore encourage other
countries to develop similar anti-satellite weapons capabilities. Instead of
defending our safety, this system could put at risk critical satellites used
for communications, weather forecasting, and other global needs--both civil
and military.
Recently, both the United States and China have used missiles to destroy
their own satellites. Now is the critical time for the United States, which
owns more than half the satellites in space, to take the lead in
international efforts to keep satellites safe. The best course of action is
for the United States to work with other nations to prohibit the deployment
of space weapons and destructive attacks on satellites, not to lead the way
to weaponizing space.
Please oppose attempts to include or add funding for the Space Test Bed in
either of the defense bills.
(thanks to Union of Concerned Scientists, one of the few NGOs working to stop space mmilitarization.)
