Rods from God

[Guest guest]

J. Learn more

Thu, 19 May 2005 12:22:54 -0700

[GranniesAgainstGeorge] " Rods from God "

 

 

 

Back to building bomb shelters?

 

Bush likely to back weapons in space

 

Arms race feared over 'death stars' and 'rods from God'

 

Julian Borger in Washington

Thursday May 19, 2005

The Guardian

 

President George Bush is expected to issue a directive in the next few

weeks giving the US air force a green light for the development of

space weapons, potentially triggering a new global arms race, it was

reported yesterday.

The new weapons being studied range from hunter-killer satellites to

orbiting weapons using lasers, radio waves, or even dense metal tubes

dropped from space by a weapon known as " Rods from God " on ground targets.

 

The national security directive on space has been sought by the air

force since last year. The New York Times yesterday quoted a senior

administration official as saying a decision is expected within weeks.

Neither the air force nor the White House returned calls seeking comment.

 

The directive will replace a 1996 directive signed by Bill Clinton

which was vaguely worded but which emphasized the peaceful use of

space, in line with almost unanimous global opinion. Plans for

potential space weapons were

vetoed by the Clinton White House.

 

Space warfare experts said they expected the Bush administration

directive to be similarly vague but also to signal a shift in attitude

towards exploring ways of affirming US dominance in space militarily.

 

The new push to develop space weapons comes as the earth-based missile

defense system, intended to hit an incoming missile with another

missile and which was heavily promoted by the Bush administration, has

been set

back by technical problems and failed tests.

 

" The " Rods from God " scheme would aim tungsten, titanium or uranium

cylinders at targets on the ground from a position in low earth orbit.

By the time they hit the earth they would be traveling at around

7,500mph , with the impact of a small nuclear warhead.

 

snip . . . .

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1487124,00.html