Russia & China again promote space weapons ban treaty

 

It was a great joy to hear the recent announcements by Russia and China as they once again called upon the world to join them in creating a 'legally binding international instrument that would ban the development of any type of weapons in space'.

The announcements by the two space-faring nations, just days apart, reveal the continued leadership by these states in attempting to ensure that we keep space for peace.

In addition both Russia and China invited global nations to join them in a 'multilateral initiative on making a political commitment not to be the first to place weapons in outer space'. So far 30 nations are full-fledged participants in this important initiative.

Since the founding of the Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space in 1992 we've witnessed Russia and China repeatedly attempting to create a PAROS Treaty (Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space). But sadly the key promoter of the militarization of space, the United States, has refused to discuss and has even blocked such treaty negotiations at the United Nations.

Washington (during both Republican and Democrat administrations) has continually claimed, 'There is no problem, there are no weapons in space. We don't need a treaty.'

The reason the US has taken that position is quite simple.  Washington has long dreamed of 'controlling and dominating space and denying other nations access to space'.  The Air Force Space Command famously displays their logo on the HQ building at Peterson AFB in Colorado that reads 'Master of Space'.  

The US-based aerospace industry views space as a new market for weapons and nuclear power.  Thus they have refused to join in serious treaty negotiations to close the barn door before the horse gets out.  The dream of massive profits trumps logic.

With the recent creation of the Space Force, Washington signaled to the world that its goal of control and domination would not be interrupted by sound thinking nor concern for the trashing of the heavens with weapons and more space debris. 

(Recall that the Democrat party led House of Representatives could have killed the enacting legislation but only requested to call it the 'Space Corp' - evidence of the bi-partisan nature of the US drive to weaponize space.)

Members of the Global Network have worked tirelessly for years to build support for a space weapons ban treaty and we are grateful to Russia and China for doing their best to keep the vision of peace in space alive.

There will be no substantial progress on the admirable [Ban] Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons as long as US-NATO are allowed to run free and move the arms race into space. Russia and China can't afford to surrender to Washington.  That is what the US demands - 'full spectrum dominance'.

It is now up to the people around our tiny orbiting globe to help push this important vision to fruition.

Bruce  

PS See the Global Network's space video page on YouTube here