A New Arms Race
This is the latest landmark in what is pretty clearly becoming an arms race in outer space. While technically no weapons have been based there (as far as we know), the Chinese test blurs the line badly between space-based weapons and space capable weapons. As this summary reminds us, the Bush Administration has played a part in this escalation, too. It has established a new policy that is strikingly unilateral. (By the way, to some extent this shift in policy began under Clinton.)
One comment in the first Post article suggests that this was a message to Bush that the Chinese could compete vigorously if pushed. If so, it might indicate their willingness to negotiate a new space weapons treaty. But the Bush Administration will certainly use this Chinese demonstration to advance their clear agenda to develop space-based weapons. In fact, I can’t think of an action more likely to get Congress to fund and approve an expansion in space weapons, even at the cost of violating current treaties.
You may think that I oppose such an escalation. I do oppose basing weapons in space, but life is not that simple. Now that the Chinese have this capability, they are far less likely to give it up easily. An escalation in America’s capability to deploy such weapons may now be essential to negotiate improved treaties banning them and in getting the Senate to approve such a treaty. I don’t think that’s a Bush administration goal, but that action might make it easier for its successor to move in that direction.