U.S. Star Wars plans aim for space-based military dominance

U.S. Star Wars plans aim for space-based military dominance
Bruce Gagnon
March 2002

Native Americans tell the story of how the white man came to be named Wasichu, the fat-taker. "You shall know him as washi-manu, steal-all, or better by the name of fat-taker, wasichu, because he will take the fat of the land. He will eat up everything. This new man is coming, coming to live among you. He will lie, and his lie never ends. He is going to make a dark, black hoop around the world."

Today the fat-taker lives in the White House, the Congress, the Pentagon, and inside the aerospace industry. George W. Bush, and his team, are requesting massive increases in Pentagon spending during the coming year. Cuts will be made in education, child care, health care, social security and the like. Our future is being destroyed to fatten the weapons corporations and their rich allies.

Star Wars research & development (R & D) will be the recipient a significant portion of this theft from our children. Everything from space-based lasers, nuclear-powered rockets, and Theatre Missile Defense (TMD) systems (that will be used to surround China) are now on-line. Hundreds of billions of dollars will be wasted on these new "21st Century weapons technologies" as Bush calls them.

The Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space enters its 10th year of organizing in 2002. On May 10-12 the organization will hold an International Space Organizing Conference & Protest in Berkeley, California. (On May 10 a protest will be held at Lockheed Martin - Sunnyvale where work is underway on many of these key space weapons technologies.) On May 11 Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) has been invited to deliver the keynote address at the international conference. Kucinich has recently introduced HR 3616, the "Space Preservation Act," that would ban all weapons in space.

For the past two years the Global Network has organized, in October, an international day of protest to stop the militarization of space. In 2001 there were 115 local actions held in 19 countries. In 2002, the day of protest will be expanded to an entire week of events to be called "Keep Space for Peace Week" and will be held on October 4-11. Groups will organize local events throughout the week, including things like visits to political leaders, community teach-ins, meetings with religious leaders, visits to local schools, media work, public displays, and protests at military bases and aerospace corporation facilities.

The U.S. Space Command predicts that because of "corporate globalization" the gap between "haves" and "have nots" will widen worldwide in coming years. With space "control and domination" in place, the Space Command will become the military arm for the multi-national corporations enabling the U.S. to suppress those who protest U.S. global dominance. The fat-takers now have a global strategy. Suppress all the people around the world. Lower the standard of living for everyone. Cut social spending and increase profits for the few who are rich. Control the people of the world by controlling space. With space domination in place the military will be able to hear everything, see everything, and target everyone on Earth.

We are back to the days of kings, queens, lords, and castles protected by knights in shining armor. The time has come for the peasants to organize and revolt. Our children's future depends on it.

Bruce K. Gagnon is the Coordinator of the Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space (PO Box 90083, Gainesville, FL. 32607, (352) 337-9274.)
Web: www.space4peace.org Email: globalnet@mindspring.com