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Riding on a moonbeam

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DvdSchp
Jan 14 2004
09:36 am

That’s right. Those damned Ruskies will have us all for lunch if we don’t watch out, never mind that their country is in shambles.

A few quotes from this article:

““If we don’t do it, somebody else will,” said?U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon of Tennessee, a ranking Democrat on the House Science Committee. “The Chinese, the Europeans and the Japanese all have the goal of going to the moon. Certainly we don’t want to wake up and see that they have a base there before we do.””

If space exploration is for the sake of furthering scientific knowledge, then what do we care if some other country pays the way to send back information for the rest of humanity? Or is the US hoarding everything its learned in its previous missions?

“Congressional sources?told Reuters that?the administration was also considering setting up a more streamlined hierarchy for guiding the government’s wide-ranging space programs and coordinating its research and development. Under this scenario, there could be more exchanges of technology between NASA and the Defense Department.”

Look, if this is a military issue, just tell us. I’m sure the Bush Administration would be able convince America that its necessary for the safety of our nation. Just pump the stupid money into the defense department and stop trying to sugar coat it.

“Vice President Dick Cheney also was involved in the policy development, along with other senior Bush advisers. The administration was said to see the initiative as an important national security measure, and experts said it could lead to new technologies and potential new sources of energy.”

Doesn’t this seem like a rather inefficent and sloppy means by which to research new sources of energy? Excuse me if I am a bit skeptical of Dick Cheney, of all people, to be interested in new sources of energy. I’m sure all those oilmen in the administration are chomping at the bit to ease up on oil production.