WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The Washington Post reported earlier this week that US Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control Frank Rose had expressed concern over what he alleged was the continued development by Russia and China of anti-satellite weapons.
"The Pentagon needs a cold war for PR [public relations] reasons and hopefully to transfer money from its out-of-control operating budgets to its investment accounts," Spinney, who retired after 33 years as a Defense Department analyst, said on Thursday.
However, the United States continued to invest far more resources into space weapons than either Russia or China, Spinney pointed out.
"The best way to get a feel for this would be compare Russian and Chinese weaponization efforts in space to similar US efforts. I think you will find that over the year we have out spent them both and done more ‘experiments.’"
The biggest US defense contractors needed to keep fanning American public and congressional fears of Russia and China to maintain the political atmosphere required to justify yet more super-expensive weapons programs, Spinney noted.
"Remember, without a superpower threat or a near superpower threat (read Russia and China), the Military-Industrial-Congressional Complex (MICC) is hurting. The war on terror is running out its string, and sooner or later, people are going to ask why it is a bust."
In this political climate, the Pentagon needs a cold war for PR reasons and hopefully to transfer money from its out-of-control operating budgets to its investment accounts, Spinney continued.
"The US has a satellite launching problem, so the Pentagon needs support for new bigger satellite launching rockets. Relying on Russian rockets for some of our launches, especially Space Station support is an embarrassment."
"As of now, Pentagon is starting a new bomber, a new SSBN [ballistic missile nuclear submarine], a new ICBM [intercontinental ballistic missile], a new ALCM [air-launched cruise missile], and an upgrade to the B-61 nuclear bomb, including a PGM [precision-guided munitions] guidance kit."
Other proposed enormously US expensive armament programs include an upgrade to the Trident II SLBM [submarine-launched ballistic missile], a massive upgrade to space-based battle management (C3ISR) capabilities and the refurbishment of nuclear infrastructure, Spinney added.
"I have a very cynical view — the budget ramifications could make the Anglo-German dreadnought race [before World War I] a century ago look like a Sunday School picnic,” Spinney concluded.
In 2008, the Russian and Chinese governments proposed an international agreement to prevent the deployment of weapons in outer space but the US government under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama has consistently rejected launching negotiations to conclude such a treaty.
