China Rebuked For Anti-Satellite Test

Missile Destroyed Chinese Satellite; Considered Indirect Threat To U.S. Defense Systems

(CBS/AP)  The United States criticized China on Thursday for conducting an anti-satellite weapons test in which an old Chinese weather satellite was destroyed by a missile.

The Bush administration has kept a lid on the test for a week as it weighs its significance. Analysts said China's weather satellites would travel at about the same altitude as U.S. spy satellites, so the test represented an indirect threat to U.S. defense systems.

“The United States believes China's development and testing of such weapons is inconsistent with the spirit of cooperation that both countries aspire to in the civil space area,” National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said. “We and other countries have expressed our concern to the Chinese.”

Australia and Canada joined The United States in their rebuke of China, reports CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller.

Japan, too, is concerned by the test and has demanded a full explanation from Beijing, Japan's top government spokesman said Friday.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki also suggested that China's lack of transparency over its military development could trigger suspicions about its motives in the region.

“The Chinese side is being asked firmly to demonstrate transparency, and the first step is to provide a clear explanation of this incident,” Shiozaki told reporters.

In the United States, the head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, Lt. Gen. Michael Maples, said in his annual threat address to Congress last week that China and Russia are the “primary states of concern” regarding military space programs.

“Several countries continue to develop capabilities that have the potential to threaten U.S. space assets, and some have already deployed systems with inherent anti-satellite capabilities, such as satellite-tracking laser range-finding devices and nuclear-armed ballistic missiles,” he said in his written testimony on Jan. 11, the same day China's test was conducted.

The test, first reported by Aviation Week, destroyed the satellite by hitting it with a kinetic kill vehicle launched aboard a ballistic missile.

In October, President Bush signed an order asserting the United States' right to deny adversaries access to space for hostile purposes. As part of the first revision of U.S. space policy in nearly 10 years, the policy also said the United States would oppose the development of treaties or other restrictions that seek to prohibit or limit U.S. access to or use of space.

“Freedom of action in space is as important to the United States as air power and sea power,” the policy said. “In order to increase knowledge, discovery, economic prosperity and to enhance the national security, the United States must have robust, effective and efficient space capabilities.”

Precisely what drove China to act now remains a mystery. But the United States has to figure out how to respond, said John Pike, a satellite expert at globalsecurity.org.

Since the mid-1980s, the United States has had the ability to take down satellites, but the Chinese don't have satellites worth attacking, Pike said. The United States may have to develop alternatives to its current spy satellites — perhaps stealthy satellites or unmanned aerial vehicles, which are harder to detect than the current well-established U.S. satellite network.

Reconnaissance satellites in low-Earth orbit — “eyes in the sky” — are essential to how the United States fights wars.

“Our space assets are the first asset on the scene,” Pike said. “They are absolutely central to why we are a superpower — a signature component to America's style of warfare.”

The Defense Department declined to comment on the test.

Adm. William Fallon, the chief of U.S. Pacific Command, has spearheaded a major push to revive exchanges with the Chinese military. Ties soured after a U.S. spy plane collided with a Chinese fighter plane in 2001.

Fallon has pushed ahead with the program, despite criticism inside the Pentagon. He believes that Chinese and U.S. officers need to understand each another better to avoid disastrous miscalculations.

Bush nominated Fallon this month to take over command of troops in the Middle East.

[grazinggoat]

exusmcsgt,
The grotesque Krotec54, is a real phenomenon. He sits in front of the mirror and sees her/himself. I'm not grotesque he/she says. I'm beautiful, good-looking, eventhough he/she is the ugliest creature on Earth. To say such a ridiculous thing as Palestinians keeping Israelis prinsonners on their own land, is really grotesque, provocative. Out of mind people still exist on earth.

[tbweb]

-- exusmcsgt

I'm interested in communicating and making the point. You understood my point about Chernoble and the dangers of any nuclear explosion on the planet surface. Yet you get lost in meaningless details like misspelled words or insignificant facts. You got the message and that was my objective regardless of the Chernoble details. The last I heard it was an explosion that caused a major leak. I'll have to check on your version of events, common sense tells me that if the entire roof blew off, a lot more radiation would have escaped and a lot more damage would have been done, but maybe you're right, but still in the bigger scheme of things and my message, your point doesn't matter.


Chernoble

[tbweb]

-- exusmcsgt

I believe issues should be resolved through dialog and debate. When the debate doesn't go your way, I don't believe violence, car bombs, rockets and terror is the correct route. The parties involved should agree on a forum and give that forum the power to make the final decision after hearing arguments from both sides. The forums decision should be final and binding and then that's the end of it. I think this was suppose to be the role of the United Nations at one point. That's my view on problem resolution.

[exusmcsgt]

tbweb-

I have an appointment and must step aside and allow you to proceed unmolested in your gleefull ignorance .

[exusmcsgt]

tbweb-

Again you err. Chernoble was not a "leak". It was a massive explosion that blew the entire top of the structure away. But you're not concerned with facts, are you?

[exusmcsgt]

tbweb-

Assuming that you are a Christian, I would assume that if Israel had millions of Christians basically in a concentration camp existance decade after decade, you'd say "that's ok by me". Right.....

You know you'd be screaming mad about it.

I do not blame the Arabs for having a problem with the way Israel treats the Palestinians. You do because you have no compassion for those who differ from you. It's called xenophobia, friend.

[tbweb]

-- exusmcsgt

The Chenoble nuclear disaster was a warning to the planet that nuclear energy is nothing to take lightly! Chenoble did major damage and it was only a leak!! Imagine an intentional release of nuclear energy on the planet surface. No, I don't subscribe to any nuclear strike anywhere, I don't even want to think about it. But if I were facing a nuclear strike, I would feel like I had to strike first. That's the problem with the Iranian Presidents big mouth. Why is the Iranian President antagonizing and provoking Israel, knowing the Israeli's have nukes and are on edge? It's seems like he's retarded in that regard!

[exusmcsgt]

Krotec54-

The Palestinians keep the Israelis as prisoners in their own land? Right........

[exusmcsgt]

tbweb-

This is why I say your philosophy is scary.

On September 29, 1960, Nikita Khrushchev stated at the UN that the USSR would "bury your children", referring to the children of the U.S.

He had the nukes and the delivery systems to do it.

If someone with your perspective would have had their finger on the button, we wouldn't even be here now. Think about it.

[krotec54]

All Palestinians has to do is stop treating the Israel as prisoners in their own land and the Palestinians problems will greatly diminish.

[exusmcsgt]

tbweb-

"There is even speculation that the Iranian President was involved."

The "speculation" was fueled by the NeoCons after Ahmadinejad's election.

The CIA itself said he was not a participant in the hostage crisis.

You NeoCons will throw out any BS to try to justify your xenophibia. Really sad.......not to mention desperate.

[exusmcsgt]

tbweb-

So we are to nuke any country that does anything we don't like, is that it?

You are scary, bro.

[exusmcsgt]

tbweb-

What's up? Can't deal with common sense? It's a common problem you NeoCon's face, in my observation.

Usually, when confronted with facts and common sense, commodotities in which the RNC doesn't deal, you're left at a total loss.

[tbweb]

-- exusmcsgt

I'm still upset that Iran held our hostages for over a year and got away with it! There is even speculation that the Iranian President was involved. Iran recently held a anti-holocost event and invited the ex-Klan leader. The Iranian President is an extremist in the extreme! Iran needs a good old fashioned butt whipping to put it plainly! If Iran gets nukes the world is in big trouble trust me!

[exusmcsgt]

tbweb-

Proving as I contended earlier, you subscribe to "conflict over coexistance".

All Israel has to do is stop treating the Palestinians as prisoners in their own land and the Israeli's problems will greatly diminish.

They, however, are loathe to do so and are willing to nuke another country rather than treat the Palestinians in a just manner.

[tbweb]

-- exusmcsgt

Maybe I am a NeoCon, whatever that is and don't know it. Because if I were the Israeli leader Iran would be a big parking lot or maybe a golf course ...

[exusmcsgt]

tbweb-

first of all, the Iranian president didn't say "he was going to wipe Israel off the map" what he said was that it should be wiped off the map.

One is a statement of policy, the other is a statement of perspective. You obviously can not differentiate between the two.

Secondly, let me point out that Israel has had their leaked plans to launch nuclear weapons against Iran publicized.

Considering these facts, which country is the more dangerous?

I'm sure you'll contend that the answer is Iran because it fits your ideology. I will contend that a country that has plans to use nukes against a country with no such demonstrated capablity is the more dangerous.

[tbweb]

-- exusmcsgt

If you were the leader of Israel and the Iranian President said he was pursuing nuclear technology and in the same breath said he was going to wipe Israel off the map, what would you do? How would you respond as the Israeli leader? Answer?

[exusmcsgt]

tbweb -

Fine answer, and very profound. We issue warnings, our enemies issue threats. Right......

[exusmcsgt]

jdweymouth-

I am not a liberal for several reasons, but the hatred you demonstrate is one of the main reason why I am not a conservative, either.

You're demonstration of the NeoCon "everyone who's not with us is ignorant" philosophy is so arrogant, simplistic, and ignorant itself that it's beyond understanding.

Proud to be an Independent American.