“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 CounterPunch, Z Magazine, Space News, National 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.
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These issues are at the forefront of the Global Research News Hour on a week designated by peace activists as ‘