STAR WARS Revisited: Trump’s Plans to Make Space the Ultimate Battleground

conversations with Tamara Lorincz and Bruce Gagnon

“President Trump stated clearly forcefully that space is in his words “a war-fighting domain, just like land, and air and sea.”

And just as we’ve done in ages past, the United States of America under his leadership will meet the emerging threats on this new battlefield, with American ingenuity and strength, to defend our nation, protect our people, and carry the cause of liberty and peace into the next great American frontier.”

– U.S. Vice President Mike Pence (August 9, 2018) [1]

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Thirty years ago, the collapse of the Berlin Wall brought forward the hope that the Cold War was thawing and the prospect of peace and a new era for humanity was about to open up.

Such hopes have clearly shattered as we see a world more consumed by war and militarism than ever.

The U.S. Department of Defense’s 2018 Nuclear Posture Review, calls for sustaining and replacing current nuclear capability to deter attacks from rivals like China and Russia. In January’s Missile Defense Review, the Administration announced it would be expanding and modernizing its U.S. Homeland Defense and regional missile defense systems. And this past summer, the Trump Administration officially pulled out of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, a significant arms control agreement that successfully eliminated an entire class of nuclear weapons.

One more shocking announcement from the Administration was a commitment in the summer of 2018 to create a sixth branch of the military – the U.S. Space Force, which would confer upon America war-fighting abilities in and from space. This new military branch is expected to be established in fiscal year 2020 and phased in gradually over the following five years.

 

These plans are all, of course, framed in the age-old language of protecting America from aggressive rivals like China and Russia, and rogue states like Iran and North Korea. But do these initiatives truly serve to protect the peace? Or do they compromise not only the peace but the prosperity of all inhabitants of Earth?

These issues are at the forefront of the Global Research News Hour on a week designated by peace activists as ‘Keep Space for Peace’ week.

In our first half hour, we get a perspective from Toronto-based academic and peace campaigner Tamara Lorincz, on Canada’s current role in advancing U.S. military agendas including their aspirations with regard to missile defense and dominance in space. She also provides a brief same day report back on a protest she organized outside the NATO Association of Canada office in downtown Toronto.

In our second half hour, Global Research News Hour associate Paul Graham conducts a conversation with Bruce Gagnon of the Global Network Against Nuclear Power and Weapons in Space talks about America’s plans for the development of outer space as a war-fighting theatre. He also details the concerns about the use of nuclear power for space travel, the role of the military in guarding access to the heavens, and the cost of a new nuclear arms race to environment protection, social security and other projects i the public interest.

Tamara Lorincz is a PhD student in Global Governance at the Balsillie School for International Affairs (Wilfrid Laurier University). Tamara graduated with an MA in International Politics & Security Studies from the University of Bradford in the United Kingdom in 2015. Tamara is currently on the board of the Canadian Voice of Women for Peace and the international advisory committee of Global Network Against Nuclear Power and Weapons in Space. Details about her monthly actions outside the NATO Association of Canada office in Toronto among other actions can be found at the site: https://vowpeace.org/events-tamara-lorincz-adventures/

Bruce Gagnon has a 3 decade long history of involvement in the peace movement and active resistance to the militarization of and use of nuclear weapons in outer space. A member of the group Veterans for Peace, he co-founded the Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space in 1992 in which he serves as secretary/Coordinator. He has contributed to a number of publications including  CounterPunchZ MagazineSpace NewsNational Catholic Reporter, Global Research, Asia Times, Le Monde Diplomatique, and Canadian Dimension. He also has a blog and has produced educational videos all of which appear at his group’s site space4peace.org.

(Global Research News Hour Episode 272)

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The Global Research News Hour airs every Friday at 1pm CT on CKUW 95.9FM out of the University of Winnipeg. The programme is also podcast at globalresearch.ca .

The Global Research News Hour now airs Fridays at 6pm PST, 8pm CST and 9pm EST on Alternative Current Radio (alternativecurrentradio.com)

Community Radio Stations carrying the Global Research News Hour:

CHLY 101.7fm in Nanaimo, B.C – Thursdays at 1pm PT

Port Perry Radio in Port Perry, Ontario –1  Thursdays at 1pm ET

Burnaby Radio Station CJSF out of Simon Fraser University. 90.1FM to most of Greater Vancouver, from Langley to Point Grey and from the North Shore to the US Border.

It is also available on 93.9 FM cable in the communities of SFU, Burnaby, New Westminister, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Surrey and Delta, in British Columbia, Canada. – Tune in  at its new time – Wednesdays at 4pm PT.

Radio station CFUV 101.9FM based at the University of Victoria airs the Global Research News Hour every Sunday from 7 to 8am PT.

CORTES COMMUNITY RADIO CKTZ  89.5 out of Manson’s Landing, B.C airs the show Tuesday mornings at 10am Pacific time.

Cowichan Valley Community Radio CICV 98.7 FM serving the Cowichan Lake area of Vancouver Island, BC airs the program Thursdays at 6am pacific time.

Campus and community radio CFMH 107.3fm in  Saint John, N.B. airs the Global Research News Hour Fridays at 10am.

Caper Radio CJBU 107.3FM in Sydney, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia airs the Global Research News Hour starting Wednesday Morning from 8:00 to 9:00am. Find more details at www.caperradio.ca

RIOT RADIO, the visual radio station based out of Durham College in Oshawa, Ontario has begun airing the Global Research News Hour on an occasional basis. Tune in at dcstudentsinc.ca/services/riot-radio/

Radio Fanshawe: Fanshawe’s 106.9 The X (CIXX-FM) out of London, Ontario airs the Global Research News Hour Sundays at 6am with an encore at 3pm.

Los Angeles, California based Thepowerofvoices.com airs the Global Research News Hour every Monday from 6-7pm Pacific time.

 


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