How many of you don’t believe that technical innovations broaden and intensify, not end, the arms race?
That’s of course a logical approach and not to forget the history that suggests the same. China successfully conducted an anti-satellite test on January 11, ending days of silence on the matter. It however stressed, that the test was not intended to spark an arms race in space and further Japan’s former defense chief said Monday, citing a conversation with the Chinese defense minister-
China conducted a test for scientific purposes and it did not target any country and did not pose a threat to any country, and therefore it did not go against agreements.
While it’s comforting to think that there’s no threat from China’s anti satellite test and despite neglecting the idea of any arms race in space, I remember the space policy that clearly states that the United States will oppose the development of new legal regimes or other restrictions that seek to prohibit or limit U.S. access to, or use of, space - and that no change in that policy is warranted.
An arms race in space to develop anti-satellite weapons would cause needless instability and threaten American economic and national security. However, to think that the threat could be neutralized through negotiations and arms control ... it cannot. In fact, if America goes down the arms control route, this is likely to further weaken their security and expose their weaknesses.
