1/ Please don’t fall for the “Space Force” jokes. Trump making the militarization of space our national policy literally pits the US against the entire world.
Let’s go into some background.
Let’s go into some background.
2/ In 1966, the US and Soviet Union signed a peace treaty for space, agreeing not to place nuclear weapons there. The reason is straightforward, because it poses a huge threat to human life.
This treaty led to decades of peaceful scientific collaboration in space.
This treaty led to decades of peaceful scientific collaboration in space.
3/ By 2006, the 1966 treaty had expired. The UN created a new peace treaty forbidding the militarization of space - again forbidding nuclear weapons.
The Bush administration opposed it, making the US the only nation on earth to vote no, though Israel abstained.
It was ratified.
The Bush administration opposed it, making the US the only nation on earth to vote no, though Israel abstained.
It was ratified.
4/ With Trump deciding to break this treaty on the militarization of space, this means other nations could be forced to develop space-based weapons for nuclear deterrent.
This could start a new era of nuclear proliferation - literally the last thing we need right now.
This could start a new era of nuclear proliferation - literally the last thing we need right now.
5/ TLDR? Trump is announcing a policy that’s not dissimilar to Kim Jong Un unilaterally developing nuclear weapons.
It destabilizes the entire world and will make it much harder to work with others.
It destabilizes the entire world and will make it much harder to work with others.
