I guess no one care that the Chinese shot down a satellite. Don't you know what this means?

Question

It means that they could invade Tiawan and us not even see it coming. It means that our smart bombs would not work in Iraq if they so chose to shoot our stuff down. US troops would look at their GPS in the middle of the desert and see nothing. All of YOU would sign on to the internet only to see an error window. Most long distance calls would not work, since more of it it satellite now. We've been able to shoot down satellites since 1986, but CNN waited 48 hours to mention that fact just to scare people and attract more audience. I will say CNN SHOULD be scared. Without a comsat in orbit they are nothing. They could only broadcast to the Atlanta area a recieve nothing. Like WWII, this will become a race to see who can replace shot down satellites faster, just like it was with supply ships and U-boats in 1940. Now think. Who can crank out cheap electronics quicker, us or the Chinese and their billion-man slave army? We use fighter-borne rockets, but they can launch missles pretty fast

Answer 1

I don't where the country has been I have gotten used to the immature juvenile boys here who think that strength is fighting and the answer to everything is war. But the CIA and Army War College has said for two years there 3000+ known Chinese spy teams in the US. They especially are seeking submarine damping (how to quieted a subs noise) and satellite transfer of information. It was quiet a stir when Congress was informed that China could best us in a war and that North Korea could in all likelihood pull a draw. What bothers me is both countries might suspect that and wonder but to hear it from us should really make their day. Read these kids in here who eventually get their information from old John Wayne movies or think we could just nuke our way out of a situation. Chairman Mao dared use to use the bomb knowing full well that for us to use enough to do any good would poison the earth and they would still have men in the field. I remember when in Nam troops were massing and despite everything we had and threw at them they were still able to over run our bases. When I invited Westmoreland to visit and in his speech he disclosed he had contemplated using nukes and for the exact reasons I have mentioned he decided he could not have used them.

As Eisenhower's warned in his January 17, 1961; Farewell Address to the Nation we have been sold a song and dance. We have a nuclear submarine and find out that Russia and China make a sell a diesel sub for a quarter of the cost that will do everything ours does. War games with India ended up with them beating our pilots and were justification for us buying the new F-22 Raptor. (I sort of thought if all things were equal or they had older planes and still beat us the answer was not a new plane but better training. During the Army President Eisenhower warned of the military-industrial complex and its potential to take over the country. We're ignoring his admonition. Congress won't let us close military bases to save money. Worse yet, Congress is spending trillions of dollars on weapons systems, the next fighter jet, national missile defense, more aircraft carriers and nuclear missile submarines. The justification for this gorging on weaponry is to defend against the dangers of $1.49 box-cutters. What we really need, and what the CIA is advertising for, is Americans who speak Arabic. At least the CIA seems to understand what John Locke put so succinctly some 300 years ago, "The best fence against the world is a thorough knowledge of it”.

There are three lessons for us: (1) In the losing of a war, the government's appetite for 19-year-olds is insatiable. (2) Military spending naturally increases at the unit level and therefore in the aggregate. Commanding officers always say, "Spend whatever's left or they'll cut our budget next quarter”. (3) National leaders engaged in militarism lie - often. In 1972, I was headed in harm's general direction, believing in the "domino theory" and the need to stop communism. I read the Pentagon Papers. I then knew that we were fighting a war that could not be won. In Vietnam, tens of thousands of 19-year-olds laid down their lives for presidential lies. And now the current administration delivered the ultimate, lie. The CIA Officers have stated that the “White House” altered the data given them and that what they presented Congress as reason to invaded Iraqi was a lie. That they (the CIA Officers were threaten with loss of employment and jail if they intervened. Everyone is familiar with the brave CIA officer who in the waning days of 2006 stepped forwarded at the news conference and spoke and was arrested and has not been seen or heard from again.

For me, the worst symptoms of the new dominance of militarism can be seen everyday and everywhere here in America. Millions of people seem to equate greatness with military strength, proudly asserting that "America is the most powerful nation the Earth has ever seen". Certainly billions are being spent on advertising to make the point. There's the U.S. Army-sponsored drag racer, Tony ("Sarge") Schumacher. Or the Marines' TV commercials, which make it, seem as if their job were a video game. The absolute worst symptom is that Forbes has named Northrop Grumman "2003 Company of the Year." And that weapons maker's corporate slogan, so heavily advertised, is, "Northrop Grumman, defining the future". Defining the future!

There is one more issue that the Rush and Hannity team always leave out. Our national debt that these numbskulls push by advocating war and to escalate is being paid for by China. Republicans always argue that taxes are a sin and need to be cut. That to me just shows how dumb they are! Anyway China holds more of our debt than anyone. I know you will not believe that so please check it out and when you find out it is true promise you’ll warn everyone.

Perhaps history is over if a weapons maker is defining the future. Still, let's hope we have some history yet to go. Let's hope that teachers, scientists, journalists, philanthropists and, yes, "we the people" can reclaim our rights to define our own future. God Bless You and Our Southern People.

Answer 2

A good question , the world will have their eyes upon the success or failure of an enterprise that will have serious implications for this nation's future . China was able to bring a satellite down and will the U.S. be able to duplicate that success . . . I hope that we are successful . If so , we still have a leading role in this world ; if not , it represents a signal failure that will embolden other nations . It means that the U.S. has a measurable limit to projecting it's will in the political and military arenas . I have faith that a maximum effort is to be made to intercept and destroy , like China , an "errant" or "defunct" satellite . The wider implications and symbolism of success and failure is a moot point at this juncture ; but , one rich with potential and possibilities . I am keen on the idea of success . :0)

Answer 3

Since what you have done is make a broad sweeping statement let me be the one to provide the question.

#1. How many Satellite constellations are there revolving around the Earth.

#2. How many Satellites are in the Teledesic Constellation and what are they used for

#3. Why can Inmerasat cover the entire global maritime communications with only 4 satellites

#4. What is the US Government doing with the Irridium satellite network abondoned by Motorola

#5. If the Chinese destroyed a satellite, how did they do it and which one got destroyed. Who owned it, what was its function.

#6 etc...etc

Answer 4

The satellite they shot down was one that was not used any more. It was not an act of aggression or hate, it was simply a test fire on an obsolete piece of metal that no one cared about any more, it had served its purpose and was basically floating scrap metal.

As for the question, yeah, the internet is provided through mostly fiberoptic cables. Satellite connections would be far too unreliable, so we rely on tangible wiring to connect internationally.

China has absolutely no reason whatsoever to use this to damage the United States. If they needed to shut down certain connections, they'd do it via hacking, so as not to permanently damage the intellectual property of the States.

The international community would also not stand for such an act of aggression. If they do it to the US, one of their largest trade partners and one of the biggest reasons they're growing so rapidly, what's to stop them from doing it to Russian satellites, EU born satellites?

It would just be a foolish and irrational move from the Chinese, a step they're not likely to take.

Answer 5

GPS wouldn't function, but most of the Internet is connected using physical cables, not satellite. And there are other means of communication that can be developed, for example wireless/cell phones don't use satellites, they use local ground-based towers to transmit signals. And I'm guessing the military has been working for decades to defend against this, since the Soviets developed this in the 1970's.

Answer 6

Feeling a little afraid of the "Yellow Peril", Don?
For one thing China does not have a "billion-man slave army", it has a POPULATION of 1.3 billion of which not all are slaves or in the army. Reduce that number by the amount of women and children who could actually use a weapon and you may come closer to a real number. Are you really worried about China invading Taiwan? Taiwan was part of China up until 1895.

Answer 7

It just shows that China and the US could destroy each other. That's not a bad thing. Mutually Assured Destruction saved the entire world during the Cold War with the USSR. By just having the knowledge that we can kill each other, civilized countries, is nothing more than a safety trigger. China can attack the US but won't. The US could attack China, but won't. We're still friends even though we disagree on many things.

IMHO, there is nothing to worry about. China is just catching up with what we have had for 20 years, now.

Answer 8

It is pretty arrogant of you to make a blanket statement that no one cares that the Chinese shot down a satellite.

And yes, I realize what that capability means to the US.

One observation.... they shot down one of their own satellite that was in a low earth orbit (I think I heard it was only 500 miles in space). Many of our key satellite (the GPS & DSCS) networks operate in geosynchronous orbit....22,500 miles in space. The Chinese haven't yet demonstrated the ability to send a rocket let alone an ASAT weapon that far into space. We should however still be concerned that they have taken the first step in being able to attack our satellites.

NOTE to teenzyla.....: The Chinese did not shot down one of our satellite. They destroyed one of their own old weather satellite.

Answer 9

Buddy, our government keeps the most advanced of our weapons secret. The United States is light years ahead of China and the rest of the world. They may flex a little muscle, but even the stuff we admit to having is light-years ahead of their stuff. What do you thing Unidentified Flying Objects are? They are U.S. craft, plain and simple. Our country has nothing to fear from China, as long as the Clinton's or other radical lefties are kept out of power. Hopefully, we will get a real third-party president in the near future as both most republicans and most democrats are interested in only personal gain. The only reason China has what it has is because of the Clinton's paying for so many Chinese nationalists to come over here and study (conduct espionage).

Answer 10

I agree even though it was one of their own satellites it still remains a threat. GPS is the most likely suspect that they would take out if they attacked Taiwan. They can't really take out the Internet since they relied on it as much as we do. And I doubt they will attack us because we still owe them allot of money...